Dangerous Lies
by EzioADF
Summary: The bond between siblings is tested when they keep secrets from each other. Relationship: Ezio Lucrezia & Claudia Cesare.
1. Chapter 1

Overlooking the scenic skyline of Roma was the Castel Sant'Angelo- the fortress that was currently the residence of the Borgia.

Scaling the walls was a daunting and tiring task but nothing would hold back Ezio Auditore as he quickly scaled it, keeping himself focused on his mission. This was the second time he was infiltrating the Castello, after he decided to spare Rodrigo's life many years ago.

This time his mission wasn't to assassinate, but something else entirely. He had to do what he had to and no guard would stop him. Below him the guards patrolled tirelessly and complained about how cold the night was.

Ezio felt a shiver run through him as the breeze swept over him. His hands were numb despite the leather gloves he had worn and he longed to reach the window above him as soon as possible before he froze to death.

Taking a deep breath, he gazed up at the inky sky and the hundreds of stars twinkling. A smile spread on his face. She loved gazing at the stars. The thought of her, gave him the energy to quickly clamber the ledges and make his way to the window.

It was open, just as he knew it would be. Ezio jumped over the sill and stepped into the carpeted bedroom.

You're finally here." She said in her husky voice. "I've been expecting you."

"I know. I received your letter." He replied, unable to take his eyes off the beautiful woman that was sitting in front of the mirror. She had her long hair left loose and had dressed herself in a flowing white lacy gown.

Ezio couldn't wait another second longer. He went up to her as she slowly got up, the lust evident in her wide greenish-blue eyes. Taking her in his arms, he lowered his head and kissed her softly. His hands moved up to the side of her face and caressed her soft velvety skin.

She moaned, then clutched his hand and pulled him away. "I missed you." She said, with her eyes still closed.

Ezio moved to kiss her again, but she pulled away and turned. "I know why you're actually here."

Ezio took a deep breath to clear away the jumble of thoughts that were clogging his brain. Whenever he was with her, he could think of nothing else and especially what he was.

"It can wait. I trust she's fine." He told her.

She smiled sadly at him. "She is. I made sure of that. Although it was difficult keeping my brother's hands off her."

Ezio stepped forward and pulled her back into his arms. "Lucrezia." He breathed softly. "You have no idea…"

"Aren't you going to save her?" she said.

Ezio let his lips rest on her forehead. "I will. I want to share this moment with you. You have no idea what difficulties I've faced in coming here."

"I know." Lucrezia said and put her arms around him while resting her head on his chest. "I just want this all to be over and for us to be together."

"Easier said than done." Ezio said ruefully. He combed his fingers through her rich blonde hair and then stroked her arms. "He hasn't been troubling you I hope?"

Lucrezia pressed herself closer to him. "It has been difficult." She said and her voice quivered just a bit. "Cesare knows no boundaries. Of late, he has been distracted, but I fear whenever he turns his attention to me."

"I've been keeping him distracted." Ezio chuckled. "The more distracted he is, the more time he'll spend time away from you."

"Grazie." Lucrezia said breathlessly and looked up at him. "I haven't been able to learn the location of the Apple yet."

"Where could he be hiding it?" Ezio said, dropping his hands.

"I've searched his room." Lucrezia said. "It's not there and I don't think my father knows where it is either."

Ezio put a loving hand on her cheek and she grasped it. "I don't want you to put yourself in danger for me."

"I'm not." She said. "I'm doing what is right. Now go. You must save Caterina. The Assassins need her."

Ezio kissed her again, this time with unbridled passion. When they broke away for breath, he looked at her bed eagerly.

Lucrezia smiled. "Not tonight, mio amore."

Ezio kissed her cheek and turned to leave.

"Aspetta!" she said. Taking the key from the drawer of her desk she came up to him. "Forgetting something?"

Ezio looked at the key she was holding and took it. "Arriverdici. For now." He said and then headed towards the door to go in search of Caterina.

*/*/*/*/*/*

Claudia Auditore wasn't looking forward to taking a stroll in the middle of a cold night, but when she received the letter, she couldn't stop herself from not going. Instead of ignoring the note and tossing and turning in her bed, she convinced herself it was best to just go and meet him.

So making sure that she wouldn't be seen, she crept out of the Rosa in Fiore and headed towards the bridge where she was told he would be waiting.

Her conscience told her that she wasn't doing the right thing and if Ezio found out, he would never forgive her. Worse, he would hate her. But she couldn't help herself. It was wrong, but she was also helpless.

Tonight would be the last time she would meet him, she promised herself. After tonight, she would have nothing to do with him. Pulling her dark cloak tighter around her, she shivered as the winds brushed against her.

Claudia stopped when she saw the bridge ahead. She could go back. She could pretend she never received the note and she could go on with her life. Her heart ached with this decision and she almost turned away, when she saw a shadow standing under the bridge.

Claudia shivered again, but this time it wasn't because of the cold winds. Wringing her hands, she walked faster, hoping her body would generate some heat as she did. When he pulled himself further into the shadows, she stopped and turned away once again.

At this time of night, there wasn't anyone around her. It was too cold for even the drunks of this city to roam around and the men looking for courtesans had already made their way to the brothel, right after sunset.

He must have noticed her hesitation, for he stepped out just a bit to show the rich red coat he wore that was woven with silk threads. The leather boots he wore were expensive too and she regretted that he was standing in a muddy path.

Well, it served him right! After what he did, mud on his shoes was not punishment enough. She let the anger draw her forward and confront him. 

"Why did you call for me?" she asked, making sure he heard the anger in her voice, loud and clear.

He reached out for her arm and pulled her into the shadows with him. Claudia gasped as he made contact with her skin and all her memories of him came rushing in. She had been so happy when she had met him first. How was she to know what her destiny had laid in store for her?

It took some time for her eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness, but when they did, she could see that he hadn't changed much. He still wore his hair the same way and he still carried the same arrogant candor that he always did.

"Would you believe me if I said, I missed you?" he drawled.

He was mocking her. How dare he!

She reached out her hand to slap him, but he caught it and pulled her forward so that she was pressed against his hard chest.

"Don't you dare!" she threatened when she saw his eyes gleam.

He dared. Lowering his head, he captured her lips in a passionate kiss that left Claudia burning with much more than rage. Her body was betraying her and she hated that. Her hands were reaching out to pull him closer and her lips were parting to deepen the kiss.

She hated it all and forced herself to remember all the bad things he had done. In her memory, she heard a gunshot and that finally made her push away from him.

"You bastardo! I hate you!" she screamed.

He clamped a hand over her mouth. "Shh! We don't want everyone to know that I am here."

Claudia pushed away his hands and took a few more steps back. "Why? Is the great Cesare Borgia, afraid? That's not what you used to claim."

Cesare laughed. "I just don't want my enemies to know yet that I am here."

"You mean my brother." Claudia scoffed. "I hope he does find you! I hope he kills you!"

"Now, now, caro." Cesare said and put his hand on her cheek that Claudia slapped away. " You don't really mean that."

"I do!" Claudia yelled and then lowered her voice. "I didn't know you were capable of murder too. Deception, treachery, si. But murder? You used me and you killed the man who was like a father to me." She clenched her hands. "And for that, I'll never forgive you."

"Come now, Claudia." Cesare said in the same seductive voice that had seduced her in the first place. "You remember how things used to be between us. We were in love and we had planned a future. Together."

"That was before I realized who you were. If I had known that you were the son of Rodrigo Borgia…"

"Si, si, you would have never even spoken to me." Cesare said. "Let bygones be bygones, shall we? We can continue from where we left off."

Claudia glared at him. "Have you lost your mind? I never want to see you again! You charged into my city and shot my uncle at pointblank." She said, aware that she was close to crying. "If you ever come near me again, I'll tell Ezio everything and he'll kill you like the dog you are!"

Cesare seemed unmoved by her speech. "Such harsh language." He said, sardonically.

"Here's some more. Fottiti!" Claudia said through gritted teeth.

To her annoyance, Cesare gave another laugh. "I suppose, now that you run a brothel, it was inevitable you would learn such foul language. Needless to say, it makes you look even sexier. "

Claudia turned on her heels and started to walk away. Clearly arguing with him was futile. She would never see him again, even though her heart would ache every time she would say that or hear his name. She would do everything she could to subdue her feelings for him.

"Claudia, un momento!" Cesare jogged behind her.

"Aren't you afraid someone might see you?" she said acidly.

"I don't care." He said, taking her arm to stop her. "Just hear me out. Give me another chance."

"Never!" Claudia said and pulled away from him.

"What if I tell you that your uncle is alive?" Cesare asked.

Claudia stopped in her tracks. "What?" She turned around slowly and studies his face. Was he lying?

Cesare seemed relieved that she had stopped. "Your Uncle Mario is alive."

"Liar!" Claudia said. "I can't believe you would lie to me about that. I saw you point your gun at his head. I saw you shoot him!"

Cesare shook his head. "I did shoot, but not at his head."

Claudia swallowed. "Wh-what? You're lying."

"I had to do it in front of my men." Cesare said. "But do you actually believe I would kill the man who meant so much to you?"

"You're lying." Claudia said, starting to cry.

Cesare walked right up to her and wiped away a tear and then caressed her cheek. "Do you think I'm lying to you?"

Claudia gazed up at his dark eyes. She had known Cesare for a long time and knew when he was lying. There was always that twitch in his nose, the pull on his lips that would tell her that he was lying. She saw none of those signs now.

"You just got better at lying." She told him, pointedly.

Cesare let his thumb graze her bottom lip. "I swear to you that I am not lying. Your uncle is alive and I am keeping him hidden."

"Why?" Claudia asked, staring into the depths of his dark eyes. He had to be lying. He just had to be.

"I can't reveal all my secrets now can I?" He said, his lips closer to hers.

"Then take me to him." Claudia said her voice a whisper. 

Cesare straightened. "I can't do that either."

"Then you're lying." Claudia said and stepped back. "I don't believe you."

He looked hurt by her admission, but he controlled his expressions again. "I had to keep him." He said. "He's my insurance against the Assassins."

Claudia shook her head and more tears rolled down her cheeks. "You are such a bastardo!"

"I know." Cesare shrugged. "But I can't walk away from what I truly am."

"But I can walk away from you." Claudia said.

"You could." Cesare said. "But I promise you that you would never learn the location of where I've hidden your uncle."

Claudia looked away and bit her lip. There was just a tiny chance that Cesare was telling her the truth. Should she risk it?

"Bene." Claudia said, after a while. "What do you want in exchange of my Uncle?"

"You know exactly what I want." Cesare grinned.


	2. Chapter 2

_Two years ago…_

Claudia was sitting in her room, watching the sunset out the window, with the ledgers open in front of her. It was her birthday and as usual, Ezio was nowhere to be found. Apparently he was in Firenze on some mission to find the Apple.

She tried to understand that he would always pick his Assassin duties first and she would hardly ever complain about that, but today, she felt lonely. Her mother had tried to make her birthday enjoyable by cooking all her favorite dishes and gifting her all her favorite flowers, but without her brother and uncle by her side, her family and this day was incomplete.

A knock on the door, roused her from her depressing thoughts and when she turned around, she saw her best friend Gina entering, carrying in her hands a small box.

"Happy Birthday, Claudia." The young woman grinned.

Claudia embraced her friend and secretly envied her friend's youth. Gina was a vibrant young woman with long curly orange hair. She was tall and thin and almost every color of dress suited her frame and complexion.

"Grazie." Claudia said. Gina handed her the box and Claudia opened it to reveal a royal purple dress inside with gold lacing.

"Ah, bella!" Claudia exclaimed. "This must be so expensive!"

Gina laughed it off. "It was practically free."

"What?" Claudia looked at her in surprise.

Her friend twirled a lock of hair around her finger and grinned. "I am dating the tailor who made that."

Claudia smiled back. "Are you going to keep him this time?"

"We'll see." Gina winked and then took her hand. "Now come on."

"What? Where?" Claudia asked.

"We are going out with the other girls to celebrate your birthday." Gina replied.

Claudia pulled her hand while simultaneously shaking her head. "Er, no. I have a lot of work to do and mother is all alone…"

"No excuses!" Gina waved a finger at her. "Your mother has already agreed to this. My mother will be giving her company while we go out. So you have no excuses."

"My work…"

"Your uncle is not here to badger you with your work." Gina grinned.

"He doesn't badger me." Claudia grinned.

"Now go and change into this dress and come out. We'll be waiting by the gates." Gina said.

"Bene." Claudia said, reluctantly. She picked up the dress and stared at it. "Isn't the color a bit too…young for me?"

Gina laughed. "Oh, Claudia. Fortunately you do not show your age at all. Why, you could pass off for a twenty year old."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Gina." Claudia laughed at her friend's teasing.

"Now go on and get dressed." She said and left, leaving Claudia to stare at her own reflection in the mirror and wondering if she truly looked younger than her age.

*/*/*/*/*

When they got off the carriage and headed towards a large inn, Claudia stopped in her tracks immediately, prompting Gina to turn around. The other three girls were giggling and talking amongst themselves, unmindful of the fact that two of their friends were left behind.

"I am not going in there." Claudia said. "It is an inn."

Gina put her hands on her waist. "Of course it's an inn."

"I don't drink!" Claudia said. "And where are we? This isn't Monteriggioni."

Gina sighed. "Claudia, try to have a little fun every now and then. Who cares where we are. Tonight you are the Claudia who loves to have fun and drink and dance."

"Do you know what crowd comes in here? There could be rowdy men in there…" Claudia swallowed and could feel her heart beating faster.

"So? You are the sister of an Assassin. You can take care of yourself." Gina said and then laughed. "I promise I will push away all the rowdy men who badger you."

Claudia wanted to argue and tell her that they were being irresponsible, but her friend was looking at her eagerly and she couldn't disappoint her.

"Bene. But if I'm not comfortable, we shall leave." Claudia said.

Gina clapped her hands excitedly. "It's a deal!" she said and then taking her hand, led her inside.

Claudia had never been inside an inn before and she had heard from her brother how it was always full of drunkards who would harass women into sleeping with them. So Claudia had always been disinclined to visit any inn on any of her travels.

But when she stepped inside the inn, Claudia was taken aback. There were lamps hanging from the ceiling that gave off a soft glow to the ambience and paintings on the walls from some of the finest emerging artists.

There were rows of wooden chairs and tables, and although she spotted a few drunks in the corner, many of them were just sitting around and talking with their friends. Gina pulled her inside and they joined the other girls who were gathered around a table.

A few young men had already approached them and begun chatting with them, when Gina came over and sent them away.

"Tonight we celebrate Claudia's birthday. Only girls." Gina said.

The other girls let out disappointed groans, but they soon got involved in the celebrations. Her friends ordered drinks and snacks, and little by little, Claudia started to ease in the unfamiliar surroundings.

"You look pretty in that dress." Gina said.

Claudia looked down at her purple gown and smiled. "You have good taste. Grazie mille."

"You needn't keep saying that." Gina said. Music started to play and Gina nodded at the musicians. "Do you want to dance?"

"No." Claudia said quickly and took a goblet of wine one of her friends offered. She did tell Gina the truth when she said she didn't drink, but seeing the amber liquid in the goblet and her friends' eagerness, she took a sip to please them. They were trying so hard to cheer her up and she couldn't disappoint them.

Gina kept on looking behind her shoulder and Claudia patted her on the arm as the music grew louder. "What's wrong?"

Gina grinned at her. "I know I said that we would not entertain men tonight, but ever since we came in, a young man has been unable to keep his eyes off you."

Claudia narrowed her eyes at her. "Davvero? Where?" She turned her head and saw a group of young men sitting at a large table. There were about a dozen men on the table, all of them talking amongst themselves and drinking joyfully. However there was one man. Who was sitting at the head of the table, who had turned in his chair and looking at her.

Claudia thought that he wasn't exactly handsome, yet there was something about him that made her heart beat faster. His hair was shoulder-length and raven black. He had a sharp nose and a narrow mouth. He had a long neck and was dressed in a black coat with golden threads and embroidery. His companions were dressed similarly, though in red and she had to admit that none of them looked as charismatic as he did.

Their eyes met and Claudia felt her breath taken away. She instantly looked away, feeling a fluttering in her chest.

"Ah!" Gina teased. "You like him."

"What? No!" Claudia said and felt her face warming up. "He's too young for my tastes."

Behind her, she noticed a movement and Claudia felt her heart stop when she saw that man stand and walk toward her. Her mouth instantly went dry and she tried to look anywhere but at him. Gina noticed her distress and turned sideways to see him.

"Oh…" Gina bit her lower lip from laughing out loud. When he came closer, Gina touched her arm. "Why don't I see what the others are up to?"

"No! Gina!" Claudia's voice gave away when the young man stood before her.

He's too tall, she thought.

"Ciao, bella." He smiled and Claudia felt something inside her warm up.

"Salve." Claudia said through a parched mouth.

"I was wondering if you would dance with me." He asked. Claudia noticed how sharp and powerful his voice felt. Like he was born to command and have several people obey him, but he was asking her in a hopeful tone.

"I don't dance." She said, feeling foolish. She was blushing and she knew it and hated herself for it.

"She does." Gina popped in. "Go on, Claudia."

He took her hand and led her to the center where the other couples were dancing. When his hand touched her waist, Claudia shivered.

"Are you going to tell me your name?" He asked.

Claudia pressed her lips together. "I barely know you." She said, feeling suddenly bold.

"Hmmm…so you're going to make me work for your name?" He smiled his charming smile again and Claudia looked away, trying to hide hers. She noticed his companions looking their way and absently squeezed his hand.

"Your friends are looking at us." She said, feeling conscious as every man on the table was looking at her.

He brushed a tendril of her hair away from her face. "Let them. They are jealous I have such a beautiful girl to dance with."

The music slowed and Claudia started to pull away when Cesare waved his hands at the musicians. Immediately, the music picked up tempo again.

"You ordered them to keep playing music?" Claudia asked.

"Of course." He said, looking down at her. "You look really beautiful. The color of your dress suits you."

Claudia felt her cheeks burning. "Grazie."

"Did I earn your name now?" He asked.

"By flattering me?" she laughed. "Not a chance." Claudia thought it was childish to not give her name, but now that this charming man wanted it, she couldn't help but make him restless about it.

"I wasn't flattering you." He replied. "I meant every word." He touched her cheek again, delicately and Claudia felt her breath taken away. "Your friend was right. You can dance."

Claudia smiled up at him but said nothing. When the song was about to end again, she saw Cesare wave his hand at the musicians again.

"Are you going to keep asking them to play over and over?" Claudia asked.

"I am used to getting what I want." Cesare said. "Until you don't tell me who you are…"

Claudia laughed. "Alright then. My name is Claudia." He gave her a triumphant smile. "Claudia Auditore."

The smile on his face froze and he suddenly spun her and took her in his arms. She felt his hands stiffen around her and looked up at him. The smile was gone and his eyes had darkened.

The music ended and he stepped back. "My friends are waiting for me." He said in a controlled voice. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Claudia."

Claudia looked at him oddly and then walked back to Gina who was watching her with her chin resting on her hand.

"Back so soon?" She teased.

Claudia shrugged. "Si." She realized she couldn't stop smiling. She watched him join his friends and say something after which they all got up and started to leave.

Gina noticed where her gaze was resting and touched her arm. "He's leaving."

"He is." Claudia said, feeling cold and alone all of a sudden.

"Are you going to see each other again?" Her friend asked, but Claudia's attention was solely upon him as he headed toward the door.

"I don't know." She said through numb lips.

Gina made her return her attention to herself. "Then go find out."

Claudia made her way through the crowds and by the time she reached the door, he had already left. She walked out and saw his friends walking in a group in the front, while he lagged behind.

"Hey!" she called, surprised at her own boldness.

He turned to look at her in surprise. She walked over to him in long strides.

"You didn't tell me who you were." She smiled. "How do I earn your name?"

He put his hands in his pockets and lowered his eyes. Then when a few seconds passed, he met her eyes again. "I'm Cesare." He said.

"It was nice meeting you Cesare." Claudia said, coyly.

Cesare nodded. "Il piacere è mio."

Claudia clasped her hands together. It was cold and she realized she had left her cloak inside. She wanted to ask him when they would see each other again, but that felt too daring on her part. Inwardly, she prayed that he would ask her.

He noticed her nervousness and came over to her, standing right before her. Taking her hands in his, he stroked them, bringing warmth to her cold skin. "I would love to see you again." He said and Claudia felt a glow of happiness she had never felt before.

She smiled up at him and he lowered his head and kissed her cheek softly. "See you soon, Claudia." He whispered.

Claudia felt a shiver pass through her and she nodded quickly, unable to mutter a coherent word.

He kissed her hand and then walked away, leaving her feeling breathless with excitement.

This was a wonderful birthday after all!


	3. Chapter 3

_Two years ago…._

Ezio had a throbbing headache and an irksome sprain in his ankle. The thought of traveling in this condition was making him nauseous, but there was no time to lose. In order to gain the Apple from Savonarola, he would have to travel to Firenze as soon as possible.

Caterina Sforza, the countess of Forli, waved at him as he started up the docks that would lead to the ship. He watched her and wished he could spend time resting on her lap as she took care of him. He could envision running his fingers through her fiery red hair and kissing her full lips.

Ezio clutched his stomach as the nausea returned with full force. His lust for the woman was possibly the result of the peculiar medicine the dottore had prescribed him as was the nausea. A trip on the rocky seas was just the thing he didn't want right now.

"Come back soon." Caterina called and instructed the sailors to take care of him. Then she turned back to him. "Vittoria agli assassin!" she called.

Ezio just put up a hand, sure that if he opened his mouth, he would throw up. Curse the Orsini brothers who had wounded him when he had tried to save Caterina's children.

He took small steps and walked slowly up the steps to the ship, hoping that he would reach Firenze soon. He hoped to sleep the entire journey and be prepared for what awaited him in Firenze. Machiavelli had already sent him letters about how the city was falling into chaos and would quickly be engulfed by fire if the nonsensical bonfires were not stopped.

Ezio was lost in his thoughts when he heard the sound of laughter. His mood immediately brightened as he saw a group of six girls aboard the ship, chatting among themselves and laughing. All of them were pretty and young and their voices lessened some of his agony.

He stepped on the deck and made his way to the cabins and then stopped. His attention returned to the girls again and he saw that his first assessment of them was wrong. Not all of them were gossiping and laughing.

There was one girl who was sitting just a little apart from them and gazing at the sea. Her blonde hair fluttered in the wind and he spotted a ribbon strung around her fingers. She could tie up her long hair, as it blew all around her face, but she made no attempt to do so.

Her eyes looked sad and her lips were pressed together as if she was trying hard not to cry. One of her companions asked her something and she nodded in reply. She tried to smile but it didn't reach her blue eyes.

Ezio squinted. No, her eyes were not entirely blue. They were green and golden too.

"I shall take your bags downstairs." The sailor told him. "Signora Caterina has advised me to do so."

Ezio snapped himself back to attention and followed the sailor down to the cabin. He needed the rest.

Everything else could wait.

*/*/*/*/*/*

Machiavelli was right. Firenze had fallen into a pit of utter chaos and the once beautiful and grand Oltrarno district was now a space for corrupt officials and disordered fights between the city and Borgia guards.

It seemed the city was on alert for him, because as soon as he stepped into the district, guards rushed toward him with their swords drawn. Disposing them was easy and he was glad he had found the chance to rest his aching muscles on the way here.

When the last of the guards had fallen, Machiavelli joined him. "Savonarola was expecting you it seems."

"That doesn't bother me." Ezio said, sheathing his sword.

"Don't lower your sword yet." Machiavelli advised him. "There are more guards on the way. They're attacking everyone on sight, including some of their own. The Apple is making them mad."

"I'll take care of it." Ezio said and spotted another group of crazed guards. "Stand back!"

*/*/*/*/*/*

Two days later, Ezio had killed two of Savonarola's lieutenants and was looking for the others when he spotted a group of guards harassing more people.

He heard the cries of a woman and his heart stilled. No, it wasn't Cristina's voice. She was dead and he had just buried her. His hands grew numb as the memory of Cristina lying dead in his arms, surfaced. They used to be in love with each other for years and when she had married someone else, he had assumed she had forgotten him. But yesterday, she had confessed that she had always kept him in her heart. And then she had died. Raw pain ripped through his heart and he breathed deeply to calm his overwhelming emotions.

"Aiuto!" the girl wailed and Ezio felt the heat course through his veins again. With long strides, he reached the group of guards who had circled around a girl.

"I am Lucrezia Borgia! You work for me!" she yelled at them and raised her sword to shield herself from the guards who had apparently completely lost their mind.

Ezio blinked when he recognized her as the girl from the ship. Lucrezia Borgia? That meant she was Rodrigo's daughter! She was clearly too young to be his wife….

"Don't!" She screamed when one of the guards advanced toward her with his sword.

"I'm going to kill you." The guard was saying. "I'll slice you into ribbons."

"My father will have you hanged!" Lucrezia was trying to sound brave, but the young girl was clearly frightened out of her wits. Her hands were trembling and Ezio knew that if the guard struck her, her sword would fall and she would be open to further attacks.

Ezio reached quickly and using his hidden blades, stabbed two guards in the throat, then disarmed the other and killed him with his own sword. The rest of the guards turned their attention to him and Lucrezia huddled in the corner next to the barrels.

Ezio moved swiftly and slashed and stabbed the rest of the guards. When they were all lying in a pool of their own blood, he dropped the sword and turned to her.

"Are you alright?" He asked her kindly.

The girl slowly got up, dropping her own sword. "I…I…" she put out her arm and Ezio saw a deep gash in her arm. She saw her own injury, and the blood still oozing from it, and then back at him. Before she could say anything, she fell to the ground.

Ezio rushed over and picked her up in his arms. There weren't many doctors in this part, but there was one who had a house here. He went through isolated alleys and the back of houses to avoid any more guards, until he reached the small house.

Three knocks on the door and it was opened by the dottore.

"Ezio." He exclaimed. "Are you alright?"

"It's the girl." Ezio said, nodding toward her. "She needs your assistance."

"Of course." The dottore said. "I'll do anything for the assassins."

Ezio laid her on the large wooden table in the middle of the room and saw her eyes flutter. The doctor closed the door behind him and joined them.

"The city has gone crazy. It's unfortunate that young girls are not immune to this insanity either." The doctor remarked.

Ezio thought back to Cristina and felt his eyes moisten. Swallowing, he helped the doctor pull back her sleeve to reveal the wound.

"Hmm, it is a rather deep cut." The doctor said and reached for the vials. "Did you know that the Borgia are helping Savonarola? Curses on that family!"

Ezio looked down at Lucrezia and then back at the doctor. The girl blinked and then closed her eyes again.

"Rodrigo Borgia will meet his end soon." The doctor said passionately, applying alcohol on the wound. "Hopefully by your hands."

Ezio wished the doctor would stop talking. Clearly the girl was distressed and if she heard the things the doctor was saying about her father, she would be even more upset.

The doctor paused suddenly, with a piece of cotton in his hand. He was staring at the girl and then reached over to pull out her necklace. He gasped and then stepped back when he saw the Templar's insignia.

"She's a Borgia!" The doctor said disgustedly.

"I know." Ezio said, sighing. "Lucrezia Borgia, Rodrigo's daughter."

The doctor threw away the cotton ball and put the cap back on his medicines. "I refuse to treat a Templar!"

"Dottore…."

"No!" The doctor said. "She's the enemy! You know what his father did to your father!"

"Si, and I'll never forget." Ezio said in a stern voice. "However, she is innocent. I am sure she was not a conspirator in my father's death."

"Let her die." The dottore said. "That will put a dent in Rodrigo's armor."

Ezio grabbed the front of the doctor's robes and pushed him against the wall. "You will do everything you can to treat her! Do you remember the oaths you took? It is your duty to treat her."

The doctor grunted and Ezio let him go. "She is just a child."

Lucrezia moaned from the table. "I'm not a child."

The doctor went over to her and treated her arm, quietly. "She fainted because of the shock." He explained a little roughly.

"Take care of her. I shall be back soon." Ezio said and turned to go.

"No, don't go!" Lucrezia cried and sat up on the table. "Please!"

Ezio looked at her and then at the doctor. Clearly she was afraid that the doctor might hurt her and Ezio couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't.

"Bene. I'll stay." Ezio said and took a chair.

Lucrezia gave him a small smile and he saw tears in her eyes. The doctor was giving her stitches and Ezio knew those hurt. She sniffed and lowered her eyes until the doctor was done.

"Grazie." She told him, but the doctor walked away without another word. She clutched her upper arm and looked at him. "And thank you for saving my life."

"You needn't thank me." He said.

"I do. You could have let me die." She smiled then. "It would have been ironic. My own men, killing me."

"They were under the influence of the Apple." Ezio said.

"I have heard what it is and how dangerous it is." Lucrezia said. "It should never fall into the wrong hands."

Ezio blew a breath and gave her half a smile. "Then you agree that your father shouldn't have it."

Lucrezia let her gaze drop back to her bandaged arm and stayed silent. The doctor came back to the room again with a vial.

"Drink this." He said. It will help you heal.

Lucrezia stared at the doctor suspiciously and Ezio realized that she had heard the entire conversation. He walked over to her and reached into his pouch for a vial of medicine.

"This works as well." Ezio said. "I use it myself."

Lucrezia took the medicine from him and drank it in one swallow. The doctor muttered a curse under his breath and walked out of the room again.

"What are you doing here?" Ezio asked her. "Your father must have known what was going on in Firenze."

"He doesn't know where I am. Nobody knows. Except for my friends." Lucrezia said. "And even they don't know why I am really here."

Ezio sat beside her on the table. "Can I help you?"

Lucrezia hesitated and her gaze returned to the doctor who was rummaging in the drawers, looking for something.

"Si." She whispered. "I heard the doctors in Firenze have a special medicine."

"Oh?" Ezio looked at her curiously and then glanced at the dottore who was still peeved that he had to treat a Templar.

Lucrezia came closer and Ezio could smell the sweet scent of her hair. She smelled like flowers- possibly lilies.

"I need that medicine." Lucrezia said.

"Are you sick?" Ezio asked, concerned.

Lucrezia moistened her lips and then bit her bottom lip, as if contemplating whether to trust him or not. Then she moved even closer until Ezio's hands were touching her long hair that had loosened from the ribbons.

"I'm pregnant." She said. "I heard a medicine found here can help me…" she swallowed. "miscarry."

Ezio pulled away and stared at her in shock. "You're with a child?" he looked down at her stomach and then back into her wide sorrowful eyes again.

She took his hand in hers. "Please…I have no one I can trust. You saved me once. Please, save me again."

Ezio got up and pulled his hood back. Running a hand through his hair, he looked out the window and saw some men throw books into the bonfire.

"Ezio…please." Lucrezia begged.

"Your family doesn't know?"

Lucrezia shook her head slowly and hung her head in shame. Ezio went over and sat beside her again. Taking her hand, he squeezed. "Are you sure you don't want this child?"

"More than anything." Lucrezia was sobbing as she spoke. "I don't want my child to have a life that I have led so far."

"It couldn't be that bad." Ezio said.

More tears flowed through her eyes. "I was engaged to two men when I was barely thirteen and then married, all for politics." She cried. "Then I made the mistake of falling in love with my father's messenger who abandoned me."

Ezio grew silent. He had an idea about who she was talking about. The man in question was actually an assassin who had been sent to spy on the Borgia. Once the Assassin Order found out of his illicit affair with the enemy, he had been thrown out from the order. After that, he had no idea what had happened to that man.

Ezio never thought that the person the assassin was having an affair was Lucrezia Borgia.

"This child will be yours Lucrezia." Ezio said. "You get to choose the life you want for your child."

"I can't do it!" Lucrezia wailed. "I can't do this alone! My family will be so angry when they learn of the affair. They'll kill me!"

Ezio saw her sobbing in her hands and took her in his arms. "There, there." He said, stroking her arms. "You're not alone. You have me."

Lucrezia looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "We're basically enemies. You should hate me!"

Ezio gave her a smile. "You're not my enemy Lucrezia. And it is your choice to make whether or not you want to trust me. Perhaps because you saved my life when you shouldn't have. "

"I trust you. I don't know why." Lucrezia said, wiping her tears with the back of her hands. "If father finds out that you helped me…"

"Your father doesn't scare me." Ezio said. "Look, I have to go find Savonarola and reclaim the Apple. Until then, you should stay here and decide what you want for yourself."

Lucrezia nodded and Ezio helped her into a sofa. "There, now rest for a while."

She took his hand and squeezed and Ezio let his glance fall to her lips. For some reason, all he could think of was to kiss her and he chided himself for that. The poor girl was in trouble and all he could think of was how he could take advantage of her vulnerability.

When he straightened, he looked up to see the doctor with a book in his hand and glaring at them. He closed the book with a loud snap and opened the door for Ezio as he pulled up his hood.

"I hope you are making the right decision trusting her." The doctor told him. "She is after all a Templar and a Borgia. Her loyalty will always lie with her family."

"I know what I'm doing." Ezio said arrogantly.

"I hope you do." The doctor warned. "Because like all Borgia, she would stab you in the back too!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Happy New Year Everyone! :D :D<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

_Two Years ago…_

Claudia frowned at the four dresses she had laid out on her bed. Over the years, she had barely given any thought to dressing up; after all she had never found the need to do so. No one had wanted to date her in Monteriggioni as she came from a family of assassins and though no one feared Ezio, everyone respected him too much to casually date his sister.

But now, she wished she had taken the time to take advantage of the tailor's discounts and bought more dresses. Cesare had already seen her in purple, she couldn't very well wear that again, now could she?

The others were a bright red, a faded green and a blue dress with a tear in the waist. She picked up the blue dress and turned her head. The tear was small and she could try to repair it, but it was still too worn out to wear on a date.

Date…

She had memorized every word of the letter he had sent her. He wanted to meet her- alone! The meeting spot was a couple of miles away from Monteriggioni and she wanted to be discreet. There was no use letting her family know of Cesare as they would want to know everything about him and she wanted to know everything about him first.

What was his last name, for example? Where did he live? He and his friends didn't dress like they were from Firenze and definitely not Monteriggioni. She supposed he could be from Venezia. They sold the finest fabrics there and his clothes were of the highest taste.

"Claudia?" Her mother came into her room.

The dress Claudia was holding dropped from her hands. "Madre?" She asked, turning around.

Her mother looked at the dresses on her bed and the one on the floor. "Are you going out somewhere?"

"Er…" Claudia bent over to pick up the dress, hoping her mother wouldn't notice her blush. "Si, Gina wanted to go out."

"Ah!" Her mother smiled. "Will you be gone long?"

"No." Claudia said, placing the blue dress back on the bed and crossing her arms, then uncrossing them. "I'll be back before sunset."

Her mother grinned suddenly. She came over to her and put her arms around her shoulders. "I was just coming back from Gina's house. Her mother says that Gina has been ill since yesterday. Something she ate."

Claudia felt the blood drain from her face. "What?" she asked in a dry whisper.

"It is alright, Claudia." Her mother laughed. "If it is a man you are seeing, I won't mind. Just be careful?"

"Of course." Claudia said quickly.

"Then I was right?" Her mother teased. "You were going on a date?"

"Madre!" Claudia said, but smiled back. "I met him two days ago. On my birthday. He wants to see me again."

"Who is this young man?" Her mother asked and sat down on her bed. She touched the green dress and frowned.

"I haven't found much about him…yet." Claudia said, sitting down beside her and taking her hand. "But I don't want you worrying too much. You just came out of shock and I don't want you to fall ill again."

Her mother reached over and kissed her cheek. "I won't. So what have you decided to wear?"

"I cannot decide." Claudia frowned. "What do you think?"

"Hmm, not the green one. In fact we may have to throw away the green dress." Her mother said, taking the dress in her lap and studying the stitching.

"Or give it to someone else who could use it." Claudia suggested. "I think one of the mercenaries' wives may appreciate it."

"You cannot wear any of these on a date." Her mother smiled. "I was stitching a dress for you to give it to you on your birthday, but I couldn't finish. Wait, I'll go get it."

She went out of the room and Claudia looked at her wardrobe and tried to decide which shoes she would wear. The white ones? The black or brown ones?

"There you go." Her mother said, coming back in and holding out a pale pink dress with a golden belt at the waist. "What do you think?"

Claudia looked at the flowers her mother had embroidered on the top of the dress and kissed her mother on the cheek. "It is so pretty, madre. Grazie!"

"I am glad you liked it, now go and get dressed. We have to do your hair next." Her mother beamed.

*/*/*/*/*

Claudia felt a bit conscious, as the carriage drove her out of the city gates. Her mother had insisted she wear her hair loose and Claudia had wanted to tie it up and cover her head. Eventually they both compromised and Claudia had plaited her hair and left it on her side.

A few tendrils broke free from her tied up hair and Claudia fidgeted with them while looking down at the pale pink dress she was wearing. Would Cesare like her in this?

She smiled and bit her lip. She had to find a way to stop blushing every time she thought about him.

"How much further, Singnorina Claudia?" The carriage driver spoke up.

Claudia woke up from her reverie and looked out the window. There were mountains and small houses lined up near the forest. Cesare hadn't specified where he wanted to meet. He had just asked her to drive out from the city gates and he would catch up with her in the middle.

She hadn't paid much attention to the particulars; she had been so excited to just receive a note for him.

Claudia asked the driver to stop and then opened the carriage door. Walking out cautiously, she wondered if she was making a huge mistake in coming out to meet a stranger. What did she know about Cesare anyway?

_Calm down Claudia! Cesare doesn't look like a murderer! He won't hurt you. _

The sound of hooves, returned her attention back to the road and she saw Cesare ride up along with three of his friends. They were all dressed in black shirts and breeches with knee high brown boots.

Claudia instinctively took a step back when she saw his friends. She had thought he would be alone. Nervousness pricked the back of her neck and she put her hand on the carriage door. Cesare noticed her reaction and dismounted the horse.

"Claudia." He smiled. "I was coming to pick you up from the gates."

"You said I should ride out from the city." Claudia said, her eyes still on the three friends who were looking at her with humorless expressions. In fact they looked like they were furious with her.

Cesare turned to his friends and she saw a frown on his face. One of the friends shrugged and maintained a frown. Cesare then motioned his friends to disperse and they did, but not before throwing reproving looks at her.

"My friends had insisted they come and visit Monteriggioni. They had heard quite a lot about this, beautiful place." Cesare said the last with a hesitant shudder in his voice, as if he didn't think Monteriggioni was beautiful.

"Well, your friends have a lot to see. There are a lot of beautiful sights here in Monteriggioni. It will take them a whole day to see all the sights. And then there are the shops…" Claudia took a breath and continued. "We sell exquisite fabrics and high quality weapons at our stalls at competitive prices."

"Is that so?" Cesare seemed concerned about something. "The weapons, are they…" He stopped himself and a smile broke onto his face. "We are not here to discuss these matters, are we?"

"I don't know." Claudia said, crossing her arms.

"I did not mean to offend you." Cesare said and bowed slightly. "Forgive me, if I did so unknowingly."

Claudia pouted and then smiled when she saw the gleam in Cesare's eyes. He was being sincere, yet he appeared to be flirting with her.

"I forgive you." She said. "Now, why did you call me here?"

Cesare looked around at the trees and hills. "I was hoping you could show me around."

Claudia looked at his friends who had dismounted from their horses and talking to each other while glancing in their direction.

"They will wait for me by the inn." Cesare said, coming to her. He put out his hand and Claudia took it, not even realizing that she had.

She wanted to ask him why they were there in the first place, but stopped herself. He may think she was too audacious.

"Don't worry about them. Come, I hear there is a lake nearby. We could take a walk." He said.

"How long will you be, Signorina?" The carriage driver asked.

She was about to speak up when Cesare came forward. "I shall drop her back home."

The carriage driver threw Claudia a cautionary look and Claudia smiled at him in assurance. Nodding, the carriage driver drove away and Claudia turned back to Cesare.

"Let us walk." She said.

Cesare took her hand again and walked with her. "He seemed very protective of you."

"Who? The carriage driver?" Claudia asked. "My brother must have told the whole city to take care of me in his absence. Everyone treats me like a child."

"But you are not." Cesare said, in a low husky tone. "You are a very beautiful woman."

Claudia blushed and turned away.

Cesare seemed to notice the redness creeping up her face, because when he spoke again, there was amusement in his tone. "You have a brother? Why is he not living with you?"

"He has to travel a lot." Claudia said. She was about to tell him that he was an Assassin, but then stopped herself. Not everyone was supposed to know her family's secret. The less people knew about Ezio's work, the better.

"What does he do?" Cesare prodded.

Claudia swallowed. "Er…I…my brother doesn't tell me everything about his work."

Cesare frowned slightly. "I didn't mean to pry." He said. "Forgive me?"

"No, I mean…" Claudia tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "There is nothing to forgive."

"Let us talk about something else, if talking about your family upsets you." Cesare said.

"No, it does not upset me." Claudia picked up her skirt a little as she walked over a rock. "What does your family do? What do you do?"

Cesare gazed straight ahead. "So that's the lake!"

Claudia looked ahead and saw the sparkling blue lake before them. It looked so serene near the mountains and grassy hills that, the scenic beauty took her breath away.

"It's beautiful." She murmured.

"Let's walk ahead." Cesare said. He was about to take her hand, when he tripped over a rock and lost his balance. He managed to stop himself from falling over just in time, but something fell from his pocket and landed with a clanging sound on the rock.

Claudia gasped when she saw Cesare trip and then when she saw something gleam in the grass, she looked down and saw a small blade.

Cesare quickly swooped the small knife in his hand and she saw how pale his face had become. They stared at each other in silence before Claudia dropped her eyes back to the knife in his hand.

"You carry a knife with you wherever you go?" She asked.

Cesare's face changed and just for a second she saw him lost in thought and looking down at the knife as if he wanted to…

No, Claudia shook away those thoughts. She was just being paranoid.

"I made this." Cesare said, in a strained voice. "I am an apprentice to the blacksmith."

Claudia mentally slapped her head. Of course he was. That was probably why he was interested in the weapons being sold in Monteriggioni. And here she thought, for a brief second, that he may have been untrustworthy.

She was letting her family's heritage and secrets, get to her. Not everyone was treacherous and not everyone would betray her like many of their family friends had done. In order to move on, she would have to learn to trust people again.

"That's a beautiful knife." Claudia said. She caught a movement behind Cesare and turned her head to see his three friends standing near the edge of the road and looking at them. Claudia could feel a shiver go through her as she saw them.

Why were they being so hostile?

Cesare noticed her pallor and turned and waved to his friends.

"Do you have to leave now?" She asked, unable to keep the shivers from forming goosebumps on her arms.

"I..er…" Cesare was looking at his friends too and they all looked angry about something. One of them, the shortest in the group, started to come towards them when the bulky man in the group pulled him back.

"What's going on?" Claudia asked.

"Wait here." Cesare said. He strode towards him and when he walked, Claudia imagined him as a lion walking toward his prey. He looked so furious that Claudia stepped away from him as he walked past her.

She saw him join his friends and the four of them appeared to be having a heated argument. The short one looked more aggressive and she was sure he had just pointed at her. Cesare said something that horrified his three friends and the short one made a move ahead.

Cesare shoved him back and pointed a finger at his face. Claudia looked down the empty roads and shivered. Perhaps she should have asked the carriage driver to wait for her. She was all alone, away from the city, in the middle of the road. Maybe she should walk home.

Whatever was going on between Cesare and his friends, she had no interest in getting involved. She was about to walk toward her home, when Cesare called her.

"Claudia!" He said and crossed the road to come to her. "Let me walk you home."

Claudia looked across at his friends and saw the sullen expressions on their faces. "What was going on?"

Cesare frowned at them. "It was nothing. Let us leave."

"Your horse?" Claudia asked.

"I'll get it later." Cesare was fuming, yet he was controlling his anger for her. She thought it was better not to ask him about his friends and spoil his mood further.

"By the way." Cesare said. "Did I tell you how pretty you look in this dress?"

Claudia smiled, feeling some of her tension ebb when Cesare smiled at her. "No. No you did not." She said.


	5. Chapter 5

_Two years ago…_

Machiavelli and Paola were discussing something about one of Savonarola's lieutenants, but Ezio was too distracted to catch a single word. His eyes darted from the ruined facades of the beautiful buildings, to the bonfires still burning on the streets.

Right near where they were huddled, three men walked over with a large stack of books in their hands and dumped them on the ground. Then one of them lit a match and threw it on the books. It took a while, but eventually the books caught fire and seeing this, the other citizens walked over to throw in their books.

"I can't believe some of them are doing this voluntarily." Machiavelli said.

"People are against progress. Any kind of change threatens the comfort zones they have created for themselves." Paola said.

Ezio barely heard them as his thoughts turned to Lucrezia. She was such a beautiful girl- young, bright blue eyes, blonde hair…and her skin…

To top it all, there was that vulnerability in her that showed him that not all of the members in the Borgia family were ruthless people. They were capable of love, heartbreak and strength. Lucrezia was with a child and she was fighting with herself to make the right decision for her and her child. He didn't want to involve himself in her matters, but he kept thinking how she would handle her current predicament.

"…and it's the women who suffer in these riots." Paola was saying. "Some men take the opportunity of this chaos to prey on women. I've asked my girls to keep the doors locked."

Ezio blinked at Paola, realizing he wasn't exactly sure what was being talked about. He didn't want his fellow assassins to know that not only was he not paying attention to the discussions, he was also thinking about Lucrezia Borgia.

"Now that I have killed a few more lieutenants, surely the risk has lessened." Ezio said, hoping Paola would tell him what she was talking about.

"I cannot take chances with my girls." Paola said. "These rowdy men are only seeking a chance to exploit women."

Ezio looked at the three men gathered around the small bonfire and watching the burning books with glee. Their smiles had something sinister in them and he imagined that given a chance, they would try to hurt people…women…Lucrezia.

It was an inkling, or his assassin sense, that told him that something was wrong. He couldn't explain it, but something inside him was yelling at him to go check on Lucrezia. He had after all left him with a hostile doctor.

"I have to go." Ezio said and began running.

"Where are you going?" Machiavelli asked.

"What's wrong?" Paola called.

But Ezio didn't stop to explain. He had to get there as fast as possible. He heard the scream of a woman and his heart stopped. He skidded to a halt and turned to see a middle aged woman run as part of the stall came down. She had stepped away just in time as the fruit stall collapsed and the rioters gathered up the fallen fruit in their hands.

The fruit seller screamed at them to stop and pay for it, but the men continued to ignore his pleas and picked up his fruit. Ezio had half a mind to walk over there and beat them up, but the voice returned inside him and warned that something was wrong with Lucrezia.

He was probably being protective after saving her life, but Ezio couldn't shake away the ominous feeling that something wrong was going to happen. He whistled for the thieves who were on the thieves to take care of the rioters and then ran back to the doctor's house as fast as he could.

When he reached, he banged on the door so hard that the door creaked.

The doctor opened it and gasped when he saw him. "You're back."

"Where is she?" Ezio asked, pushing past him. When he got inside, his fears proved right. Lucrezia was nowhere to be seen. A chill swept over his bones and he felt his heart wrench.

"I don't know." The doctor said.

Ezio turned to him, grabbed the front of the doctor's black robes and pushed him against the wall. "What did you do to her?"

"I-I d-didn't do anything to her." The doctor cried. "I gave you my word that...that I wouldn't hurt her."

Ezio loosened his grip and when he realized what the doctor was actually telling him, he grabbed him by the throat. "Who took her?"

"Some men came in, looking for books and paintings to burn." The doctor tried to pull Ezio's hands away without much success. "I told them to take her instead." He said in a choked gasp.

Ezio shoved the doctor to the floor and kicked him in the stomach. "You bastardo!" He screamed. "She's a child! And she's pregnant! How could you!"

"She's a Borgia!" The doctor spat, as if that explained everything.

Ezio realized that it was of no use trying to explain to the doctor that he had no intention of harming Lucrezia. It wasn't her fault that her father was that treacherous Rodrigo Borgia.

"Where did they take her?" Ezio asked, readying his fists in case the doctor refused to answer.

The doctor cowered in fear as he saw the fury in his expression. "I don't know. I told them who she was and I think they intend to kill her."

Ezio straightened and then as an afterthought, bent and punched the doctor on the jaw. "If anything happens to her, you'll be held responsible for it."

As he turned to leave the doctor spoke up.

"You can hate me and hurt me as much as you want, Ezio." He said. "In this war between assassins and Templars, hatred runs both ways. I hope she dies."

Ezio wanted to punch the doctor again, but realized he would only be wasting precious time he should be utilizing looking for Lucrezia.

Without another word, he left in search for Lucrezia, hoping that she was unhurt and alive.

*/*/*/*/*

Looking for Lucrezia was a harder task than he had imagined. The city was still plunged in chaos and the city guards fighting with the Borgia guards just added to the mayhem. He kept his ears pricked for any screams he would hear and so far, all he could hear was the sound of blades and the crackle of fire.

Ezio closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could either climb atop the highest building or use his eagle vision. He had just about decided to opt for the eagle vision, when he picked up the screech of a woman.

His eyes snapped open and he looked all around himself. Two men fighting over a bottle of wine, guards slaying other guards, more paintings being thrown into the bonfire- he could see all this except for….

Another scream for help and Ezio's reflexes went into action. He began running toward where he thought he heard the screams and found himself standing across a bridge still under construction. Right across it, he spotted four men, carrying a woman by her arms and legs. The woman was screaming and kicking, but the men were still holding on. They dropped her onto the pavement and that was when he saw her.

Lucrezia!

The men crowded around her and Lucrezia threw her arms across herself and started to kick as one of them came closer.

"Hey!" Ezio screamed. The four men turned around and he felt his blood turn cold. Those weren't any men- they were mercenaries. "Leave her alone!"

The four men seemed to be surprised to see that order come from an assassin, but they quickly dismissed him and went back to harassing Lucrezia. Ezio jumped over the other part of bridge that was partially constructed and repeated his warning to deaf ears.

"She's just a child!" He cried.

The mercenaries turned around. "She's a Borgia!" one of them spat. "She does not deserve compassion from any human being."

"She shouldn't suffer for the crimes her father committed." Ezio called. He looked down and saw that the only way he could get to them was jumping on rickety poles and chances were pretty good that he would fall into the river.

"I said- leave her alone!" Ezio said.

One of the mercenaries, a young burly man, came forward and adjusted his headband. "Do you know what his father did to my family? He had them slain! Even my little sister who was barely ten. She was a child, Ezio. Not this woman."

Another mercenary joined him while the other two mercenaries held Lucrezia by her arms. "Have you forgotten what Rodrigo Borgia did to your family Ezio? Not only did he have your father killed, but also your two brothers. Your youngest brother was a child, Ezio. Not her!"

They returned to grab Lucrezia by the hair and Ezio heard her wail. "Stop it! Her father did all those things, not her."

"What better to avenge our families than hurting his?" The young mercenary said.

"She's pregnant!" Ezio screamed. "She's carrying a child- an innocent. Surely, he doesn't deserve the brutality you wish to inflict on her."

The mercenaries looked shocked by his admission that Lucrezia was pregnant. They looked down at her with contempt and then back at Ezio who was trying to figure out if jumping to their side would help Lucrezia or startle the mercenaries to the point that they may hurt Lucrezia.

"We don't need another Borgia in this world." The young mercenary said solemnly. He gestured to the others and they all picked up Lucrezia who tried to fight them in futility. She was carried to the edge and thrown into the river.

Ezio jumped across at the same time and his hands brushed against her hair as she fell.

"You bastardo!" Ezio screamed.

The young mercenary removed his axe and narrowed his eyes. "You don't want to do this, Ezio. You don't want to go against us for her."

The other mercenaries removed their weapons as well and Ezio stared at them in bewilderment. Were they threatening him? "I could say the same thing." He said.

This angered the young mercenary who charged at him with his axe. Ezio cursed under his breath. He had no choice- he was being attacked. He removed his sword and prepared to deflect, but what he didn't anticipate were the other mercenaries who surrounded him. They tried to strike him and he moved away just in time. Another strike and they caught his smoke bomb pouch.

Ezio muttered another curse as he saw it fall into the river. His eyes searched for Lucrezia, but when the axe blade grazed his upper arm, Ezio realized he no longer had a choice to subdue the mercenaries. They were intent on hurting him.

He deflected their multiple attacks with his sword and then bent and thrust his hidden blade into the young mercenary's stomach. Without a pause, he moved to the other and stabbed him in the throat. Then moving between the last two, he dropped his sword and used both his hidden blades to finish them off.

Ezio didn't wait to see them fall to the ground. He turned and dove into the river. The ice cold water stung at his skin and his wound burned in agony. He pushed himself deeper into the river and saw Lucrezia scrambling to get to the surface. He reached her and saw that the skirt of her dress was caught on something.

He tugged at her skirt and saw it caught on a metal piece of a submerged broken boat. He tore off part of her skirt and then wrapping an arm around her waist, brought her to the surface. Lucrezia heaved a deep breath into her lungs and then coughed hard as he brought her to the surface.

"It's alright, I've got you." Ezio said in a strangled voice. His lungs felt on fire and his limbs ached, but he swam as fast as he could with her in his arms, to the shore. When they reached it, he collapsed onto the ground while Lucrezia kept coughing and spluttering out water.

"Are you…are you…" Ezio raised himself and then collapsed back as cold shivers ran through his body.

"I'm fine." Lucrezia shivered. "I thought…I thought I was going to die."

Ezio turned his head sideways. "I won't let anything happen to you."

"You saved my life. Again. Grazie." Lucrezia said and sat up. She put her arms around herself and Ezio saw that she was shivering uncontrollably. He drew her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her. He stroked her arms, trying to massage heat into her cold shivering body but he knew it was of no use. It was too cold and he would have to warm her up quickly.

"You're hurt." Lucrezia said, looking at his wound.

Ezio looked down at the oozing blood from his arm and shrugged. "I'll get it looked at. Come on, we have to get ourselves…"

Lucrezia suddenly let out a cry and clutched her stomach.

"What's wrong?" Ezio asked.

She bent over and clutched at the mud beneath her. "I d-don't know." She screamed. "My stomach…." She had another spasm and let out another cry. "It…it hurts."

Ezio took her in her arms and was about to carry when Lucrezia pushed away and screamed again. He tried to pull her back to him and when he managed to pick her up, he felt something warm seep into his hands.

Ezio looked down and saw blood. His first thought was that the blood was from his wound and that it was deeper than he had first imagined. But when he saw the blood staining Lucrezia's skirt, he understood.

"Oh dio." The words escaped his lips. He had to get Lucrezia to a doctor as soon as possible.


	6. Chapter 6

_Two years ago, Monteriggioni_

"Tell me everything!" Gina demanded.

Claudia pursed her lips and played with the handle of her mug. The sunlight was pouring through the windows and while she was shaded by the curtain, Gina's face glowed in the golden hue, making her look even prettier.

Claudia felt an instant pang of jealousy but when Gina persistently asked her about Cesare, she dismissed that emotion and smiled.

"There isn't much to tell." She told her friend truthfully. "We walked around the lake and talked a bit. His friends were there and then…"

"Then what?" Gina asked, taking a sip of tea from her mug.

Claudia clasped her hands and put them between her knees. "I think they were arguing. Maybe about me."

"About you?" Gina put down her mug and leaned forward; pushing away a plate of biscuits Claudia's mother had served.

"One of his friends kept looking at me and I think he was angry." Claudia said. "I couldn't be sure, of course."

"Hmm, maybe he's just jealous his friend is with a beautiful and intelligent woman and he has to sleep all alone with his pillow for company." Gina joked.

Claudia snickered at her friend and then put her hand under her chin. "He's really nice. And kind and sweet."

"Oh?" Gina asked and Claudia could see a teasing glint in her green eyes. "Do you think he'll ask you to marry you?"

"Gina! That's…too soon to decide." Claudia's face grew hot and she looked away. "I don't know much about him."

"What do you know about him?" Gina asked, touching her arm lightly so Claudia would look at her. "What does he do? Where does he live?"

Claudia hesitated. "Uh…he's an apprentice to a blacksmith."

"Just an apprentice?" Gina asked in puzzlement. "Are you sure?"

"Si, why?" Claudia asked.

"No…I…where does he live?" Gina asked and Claudia saw concern in her eyes.

Claudia swallowed uncomfortably. "I don't know."

"What?" Gina asked and Claudia felt her blush deepen. She couldn't understand why Gina looked so concerned. Maybe she was jealous of her because she had found a good man like Cesare?

"We just met once." Claudia said. "I'll ask him the next time we meet."

"Which is when?" Gina grinned at her and the tension Claudia had been feeling, ebbed away.

"In an hour." Claudia brought the mug to her lips so that her friend couldn't see how excited she was to meet Cesare again.

"Are his friends going to be there?" Gina asked a little cautiously.

Claudia shrugged.

Gina nodded. "In that case I shall come with you as well."

"Why?" Claudia said. "He asked to meet alone."

"I want to meet the man my friend is so clearly smitten with." Gina smiled. "I promise I won't intrude. In the event his friends are present, I'll go distract them while you and Cesare can have some privacy."

Claudia sighed. "That does seem like a good idea."

Gina laughed. "Don't worry Claudia. I won't steal your man."

Claudia watched her friend drink her tea and sat back in her chair. The truth was Gina was a lot closer to Cesare's age. What if he decided he liked Gina more?

Claudia shook away those thoughts. She was being absurd. Cesare had seen Gina that night at the inn. If he liked her, he would have approached her friend and not asked her for a dance instead.

"What's wrong?" Gina asked.

"Nothing." Claudia said and concentrated on what she would wear when she would go meet Cesare.

*/*/*/*/*/*

When the carriage stopped a few miles away from the Monteriggioni city gates, Claudia almost leapt out when she saw Cesare standing under a tree.

"Wait for me." Gina called and Claudia felt her excitement dampen. She glanced at Cesare and saw the look of surprise on his face when he saw her friend.

Gina took Claudia's hand and walked with her toward Cesare.

"Buona sera." She greeted in a friendly manner. "I am Gina, Claudia's best friend."

Cesare cast a disappointed look, but then when he glanced at Claudia he smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet one of Claudia's friends." He took Gina's hand and kissed it.

"Charming." Gina said and Claudia felt relieved that her friend was softening towards Cesare.

"I hope you don't mind me accompanying Claudia." Gina explained. "I was getting bored and could use some fresh air."

"It is alright." Cesare said reluctantly, much to Claudia's pleasure. She found happiness in the thought that Cesare wanted her all to himself.

"Let us walk then." Gina said.

"Of course." Cesare started to take Claudia's hand when Gina took it instead. Cesare didn't give up. He moved to Claudia's other side and took her arm.

The three walked towards the lake, neither saying anything. Claudia started to feel uncomfortable walking between the two of them and wished she could think of something intelligible to say.

"So tell me, Cesare." Gina said, breaking the awkward silence. "What do you do for a living?"

"I am an apprentice to a blacksmith." Cesare replied.

"Ah, who are you doing your apprenticeship under?" Gina asked.

Cesare hesitated. "Uh…Silvio."

"Silvio?" Gina raised an eyebrow. "Where is it that you work? Because I know all the blacksmiths in Firenze."

"How could you know all of them?" Claudia asked.

"I was dating a blacksmith a couple of months ago, remember. He lived in Firenze and every day he would moan about how he wasn't doing as much business as the others." Gina said. "I don't remember hearing Silvio's name in the list of men he was envious of."

Claudia saw the frown on Cesare's face. "I never said I worked in Firenze."

"Then in Toscana?" Gina asked.

"Er…no." Cesare squirmed and squeezed Claudia's arm absently.

Claudia threw her friend a look and Gina shrugged. "Where do you live Cesare?"

"Around here." He replied, but Claudia could sense the nervousness in his tone. Gina was really pestering him and she wouldn't blame Cesare for being so squeamish at her interrogation.

Gina looked around. "Ah, I see a row of little houses in the distance. Is one of them yours?"

Cesare looked to where Gina was motioning and nodded hastily. "Si, I live there."

Just then, they saw a group of men approaching on horsebacks and Claudia stopped in her tracks. "What are they doing here?"

"Who are they?" Gina asked.

"Er..they are my friends." Cesare replied and let go of Claudia. I'll go have a word with them.

When he walked towards his friends, Claudia turned angrily to her friend. "What is wrong with you?"

"What?" Gina asked.

"You're badgering him with your questions." Claudia said. "Leave him alone."

Gina caught her arm and pulled her back slightly. "Look at his boots, Claudia. They are made out of expensive leather. His clothes, they are expensive as well. I caught a glimpse of a gold chain he wears around his neck that he hides beneath his shirt. He is not who he says he is."

"It doesn't…"

"What kind of blacksmith pays an apprentice that much money?" Gina asked. "And look at the horse that's tied to a tree over there. It probably belongs to Cesare. Look at the shiny coat…"

"Stop it!" Claudia almost screamed. "He has no reason to lie to me. I have chosen to trust him. It is my decision to trust Cesare."

Gina frowned. "But how do you explain the proofs I have laid out for you?"

"I don't need all these things to determine my feelings for him. My heart says Cesare is not lying to me." Claudia said.

Gina crossed her arms and when she looked ahead, she suddenly raised her left leg and clutched her ankle. "Ow!"

"What's wrong?" Claudia asked.

Gina started hopping. "Ow! My ankle!"

"What happened?" Cesare asked, coming to them.

"I don't know." Claudia said and reached to help her friend.

"I sprained my ankle." Gina said. "I tripped on a rock."

"Maybe you should go back home and rest." Cesare said and knelt in front of her. "Here, let me check."

"No!" Gina cried. "I'll be fine. Why don't you take me to your home where I can rest? You and Claudia can continue with your walk."

Claudia glared at her friend, who winked at her discreetly.

"I just need a little rest." Gina said.

Cesare straightened. "My home?"

"Didn't you say you live around here?" Gina asked. "You couldn't be coming all the way from another city just to meet Claudia. You must live around here."

Gina wasn't even disguising her suspicion anymore and Claudia glanced at Cesare, sure he would be deeply offended. Instead, Cesare's expression grew stoic and he beckoned to his friends. They came over and Claudia eyed them warily.

"Take Gina to my house and make sure she's taken well care of." Cesare instructed.

His friends threw Claudia a disgusted look and then turned to her friend. "Maybe she would also like to rest." One of them said, gesturing at Claudia.

"Just do as I say." Cesare said in a commanding tone that gave Claudia shivers. Cesare had suddenly transformed into a man who took charge and gave orders rather than obey them. For a fleeting second, Claudia began to have doubts about him. But all that disappeared when he took her hand again.

His friends put Gina's arms around their shoulders and helped her cross the road.

"Maybe I should go home." She said.

"No." Cesare said. "You should rest. When you feel better, my friends will drop you back home. And don't worry, I'll make sure Claudia reaches home safely."

Gina turned around and threw a fearful look at Claudia as she was helped away. Claudia wanted to tell Cesare that she and her friend should probably go home, but before she had a chance to say anything, Cesare was already dragging her away.

*/*/*/*/*

It was two hours after sunset when Cesare left Claudia at the city gates. She invited him in, but he merely took her arm, pulled her towards him and kissed her. After that, Claudia could barely remember what was happening.

She was distantly aware of thunder rolling on the clouds above her and the winds had gathered to push against her and everything else. However, instead of feeling the cold, she had felt the warmth of a glow that was lighting up inside her.

Cesare had kissed her lips chastely at first and then before she could catch her breath, his mouth had plunged over hers and then she was aware that she was pinned on the wall. His mouth left hers for a few seconds during which they trailed down her neck, kissing and biting.

Claudia let out a moan which was quickly silenced when Cesare's mouth descended on hers again. When he finally pulled free, Claudia breathed deeply and found herself unable to move. Cesare bid her goodbye and pecked her cheek, promising to meet her again tomorrow.

When she entered the city, she felt like she was floating in air. The people around her were running helter-skelter, looking for refuge from the raging storm, but she could barely push her feet forward. Her fingers felt the side of her neck where he had bitten her and she could only sigh.

"Claudia!" she heard a man call. The rain came down so suddenly that she was quickly brought down from her blissful trance.

There was an aged man standing before her and shaking her shoulders. "Claudia?" he was screaming above the thunderous storm.

"What?" Claudia asked and then recognized him as Gina's father. "What's wrong? Is Gina alright?"

He looked at her in surprise. "Gina? Wasn't she with you? Where is she? The rain is coming down harder than we expected. We'll have to lock our doors."

Claudia blinked at him and then wiped her wet face with her hands. "Hasn't Gina come home yet? He said that his friends had taken her home."

"Who did?" Gina's father asked frantically. "Claudia, Gina hasn't returned home in hours! Who said she was at home? Who were you girls with?"

Claudia felt a heart miss a beat. A chill settled upon her shoulders and she shivered. "Are you sure…?"

"Claudia!" Gina's father grew alarmed. "Where is my daughter?"

Claudia took a step back and then another. Then she turned around and ran towards the gates, trying not to give into her ominous thoughts. Gina's look of fear as Cesare's friends took her away, replayed in her mind.

She ran to the carriage driver and knocked on his door. "I need you to take me…"

"There's a storm outside." He told her. "I can't take you."

Claudia ran outside the gates and tried to look through the blanket of rain for Cesare. Surely, he couldn't have gotten that far?

"Cesare!" she called, but knew it was of no use. The rumbling thunder was making it impossible for anything to be heard. Without thinking, Claudia began to run. Her heart pounded in her chest as she saw Gina's frightened face again. She knew something was wrong and Claudia had ignored it all.

"Please be alright." Claudia prayed as she ran the empty and slippery roads.

She almost slipped once, but balanced her quickly, reminding herself that Gina needed her. "Oh Gina, please be alright."

Why did she trust a bunch of strangers with her friend? They hated her so why would they be nice to Gina? If they even touched a hair…

When she reached the spot she had been with Cesare just hours ago, she paused and using up all her breath, screamed. "Gina!"

She walked towards the little houses and then began running when she saw one of the doors open. Maybe she was being paranoid. Maybe Gina was just taking shelter from the storm.

"Perdonatemi." She said and went over to the old woman who was closing her door. "Is my friend Gina inside?"

The old woman looked at her in surprise and then in irritation. "It's raining. Why are you troubling me?"

"Is Gina inside? Gina!" Claudia called.

"Your friend isn't inside my house." The old woman said and shut the door.

Claudia moved to the next house and banged the door. "Gina!"

"Go away!" she heard a man's voice. "I'm not opening the door in this storm."

"Is my friend Gina inside? She…she has long curly orange hair and green eyes and she was wearing a black dress."

"Go away!" The man screamed.

Claudia put her hands on the door. She was completely drenched and her hands were numb with cold. "Is Cesare…is this his home?"

"No!" The man grew irritated.

"Do you know which house is his?" She asked. "Please, I'm looking for my friend."

"There is no man living around here with that name. Now go away and stop breaking my door." The man called.

Claudia stepped back, more shivers running through her. Cesare didn't live here. He didn't live here and Gina was right! Gina!

"Gina!" Claudia screamed over and over and then clutched her hair. "Where are you?"

She ran towards the lake, hoping that maybe Gina had taken shelter under a tree when she saw something dark at the edge of the lake. Claudia held her breath and made her way. When she saw it was a woman lying on her stomach, Claudia was sure she would throw up.

Falling to her knees, she turned the woman over, praying it wasn't her friend. But when she saw the orange tendrils and the black dress, Claudia knew who it was before she had even turned her friend.

It was Gina.

"Gina!" Claudia shook her and laid her friend straight on the ground. "Oh dio! Gina! Open your eyes!"

Claudia started to weep and then when she felt wetness in her hands, she looked down and gasped. Blood! There was blood oozing out of Gina's stomach.

"Oh no! Oh no!" Claudia let out a scream into the dark stormy night, knowing that no one would care to hear her in this cruel and unforgiving world.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Hi! Thank you so much for reading. I hope you're enjoying the story so far (fingers crossed). Do let me know what you think. Thanks :) <strong>


	7. Chapter 7

_Two years ago in Firenze…_

"Help me!" Lucrezia was sobbing. Ezio at first could do nothing but watch her crying as she writhed in his arms. She needed medical help, yet could he really trust the dottore after he let the mercenaries take her away.

Lucrezia grabbed the collars of his shirt. "It hurts!"

She was just a child and she was going through so much. Her blue eyes were filled with tears and her smooth flawless skin was hot. And her hair…her golden hair was soft and silky and also a dead giveaway to her identity.

He had heard of Lucrezia's beauty once when he was trying to find information on Rodrigo. He hadn't known if the men he had overheard were talking about Rodrigo's mistresses, wife or daughter. The men had talked about her beautiful eyes and her long blonde hair that they compared to cascading gold.

Ezio hadn't bothered much about learning of Lucrezia. But now that he had met her, all those descriptions came to mind. Those men had been at an inn and talking in loud tones so that everyone could hear and chances were pretty good that the citizens had an idea of what Lucrezia would look like.

He looked down at the chain lying on her bosom and bit the inside of his lip in thought. He would have to take Lucrezia to a different dottore and in order to make sure she received the best treatment; he would have to disguise her identity a little bit.

He carried her up the stairs as she clung to him. She was wet and cold and blood was still seeping out of her, though it had lessened. He hugged her close and then when he had reached the top of the stairs, put her down on an empty table that had once been a stall.

Lucrezia was still weeping and Ezio noticed how pale she looked. He put a gentle hand to her cheek and wiped away a tear. "Forgive me." He said. Plucking the chain around her neck, he tugged at it and Lucrezia gasped.

Her eyes widened when she saw him remove his dagger. "No!" she cried, her voice a whimper.

Ezio gathered up her hair and twirled it around his palm. Then using the dagger, he cut her hair near her neck. Lucrezia was moaning the entire time and Ezio guessed she must have thought he intended to kill her.

When he was done, chopping away her golden locks, he took off his cape and wrapped it around her, covering her head as well.

"It is wet, but that is all I have for now." Ezio said. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you."

He picked her up in his arms again and walked as fast as he could in search of the nearest doctor.

*/*/*/*/*

It was in Santa Maria Novella district that Ezio finally found a dottore who had not fled Firenze during the chaos of the bonfires. There were some near the Oltrarno district, but they refused to open their doors, for fear their houses would be attacked too.

After almost two hours, he had found this dottore and by then Lucrezia was barely conscious. The bleeding had long stopped, but her skin was hot with fever. When the dottore had finally opened the door to let him in, Ezio had almost stumbled in and put Lucrezia as gently as he could on the nearest table. His hands and arms were aching and his chest felt congested from being in the cold for so long.

"What is wrong with her?" The dottore asked as he pulled the damp cloak away from Lucrezia's feverish body.

"She may have miscarried." Ezio said, dropping himself down on a chair. He threw back his hood and eyed the pitcher of water on another table. However walking even that small distance seemed like such an ordeal, so he leaned back in his chair to catch his breath.

"How many weeks pregnant was she?" the dottore asked, examining her. "I'll have to change her clothes."

"I don't know. I…er…found her in this condition in the Oltrarno district." Ezio said. Lucrezia turned her head on the table and looked at him. Ezio gave her a small reassuring smile and then turned back to the dottore. "Take care of her."

"I will. Where is her husband?" The dottore asked and then called for his assistant. A middle-aged woman entered and immediately set about to get Lucrezia into dry and warm clothes.

"I don't know." Ezio said and when he got up to leave the room, felt the weight of Lucrezia's Templar pendant in his pocket. How he wish he didn't have it. How he wished Lucrezia never had it.

Ezio went to the adjoining room to sit on the sofa and immediately felt himself dozing off. A few minutes later the woman walked in and offered a change of clothes to him as well and reluctantly, Ezio did as he was told.

When he had changed, he was offered hot tea and while the dottore took care of Lucrezia, Ezio settled into the sofa once again and dozed off.

*/*/*/*/*

A touch on his shoulder awakened all his senses at once and Ezio jumped as he opened his eyes. A beaked mask greeted him and Ezio lurched and at the same time reminded himself that he was at the doctor's.

"Is she…she…" Ezio rubbed his eyes. "Is Lucrezia feeling better?"

"She is asking for you." The dottore said. "I have to go get some supplies. I'll be back soon."

Ezio watched the doctor walk out the door and retracted his hidden blades. It was a reflex action, but he hoped the dottore wasn't too offended to see the blades out. His tired mind had almost made him stab the one man who had opened his doors to Lucrezia.

He got up and walked into the other room to see Lucrezia lying in a bed with the covers all drawn up. She opened her wide blue eyes when he walked in and she started to get up.

"No. Keep resting." Ezio said, putting up a hand. The room was dark except for a lone candle burning in the corner. Heavy brown curtains hung from the window and the whole room smelled of herbs and oils. He wrinkled his nose and made his way to Lucrezia.

"The dottore said you were asking for me." He told her and then dragged a stool with his foot and sat down beside her.

Lucrezia removed her hand from beneath the heavy blankets and took his hand. Ezio could feel how hot her skin was and frowned. "I wanted to thank you. You've done so much for me."

Ezio put his hand over hers. "No need to keep thanking me." He said softly.

"I do." Lucrezia said. "I never knew what my father had done to your family. The first doctor you took me was right; you didn't have to save me after what my father did to you."

"I wasn't about to exact revenge on an innocent child."

"I'm not a child!" Lucrezia said and sat up, the anger bringing some color to her pale cheeks. "After everything I have gone through, why do you still consider me a child? Isn't a person matured by experience rather than age?"

"I didn't mean to upset you." Ezio said, squeezing her hand.

Lucrezia lowered her eyes. "And I didn't mean to yell at you. Forgive me."

"You are right. You're not a child but a very brave young woman." Ezio said.

Lucrezia smiled and Ezio thought that despite her ragged appearance, she looked like the most beautiful woman in the world.

"I am sorry about your hair." Ezio said.

"It will grow back." Lucrezia said.

They were both looking at each other for several minutes in silence and when Ezio realized this, he got up suddenly, dropping her hand. "You would be safer if you leave Firenze." He said, swallowing.

Lucrezia's smile dropped and her mouth dropped open. "What?"

"You came here with your friends. I'll find them and find the first ship to take you home." Ezio said. "There is too much danger here at the moment. The Apple is driving everyone insane and your own men are attacking you."

Lucrezia drew up her knees and put her arms around them. "I…I am too…sick to leave."

"You will be in constant danger if you stay." Ezio said. "Tell me, where I can find your friends."

Lucrezia looked up at him with so much pain in her eyes that Ezio felt a tug in his heart. "I don't want to go."

Ezio swallowed. "I'll search for your friends."

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Lucrezia said, a sob escaping her.

"No…Lucrezia…" Ezio couldn't look at her anymore. What he was feeling for her was wrong and misplaced pity. Yes, he was pitying her and confusing that emotion with something else.

"My friends are in an inn near the old market." Lucrezia said in an emotionless tone. "Let me know when we have to leave."

Ezio nodded at her, pulled up his hood and left the room in long strides. His heart was beating fast and with pain. Seeing Lucrezia looking so vulnerable was making him weak and deterring him from his missions. He was an assassin for goodness sakes. He still had a few lieutenants to kill and then kill Savonarola and reclaim the Apple.

Lucrezia would have to go so that she didn't interfere with his plans. Besides, when she found out that he planned to kill her father, she would want nothing to do with him.

In fact, she would hate him for the rest of her life.

*/*/*/*/*/*

It was early the next morning when Ezio had managed to arrange for her to travel back to Roma from where she would take a carriage to Il Vaticano.

He had found her friends late last night and informed them of their travel plans. Fortunately, Lucrezia's friends had mistaken him for a messenger. Had they recognized him as an assassin, they would have no doubt spread the news to the entire Borgia clan.

He had to help Lucrezia to the harbor as she was still weak. The doctor's assistant had been kind enough to lend her some gowns and even though they were plain, Lucrezia still looked like a princess in them. Her hair was washed and combed and though the cut was shabby, she had still styled it nicely so that it lay prettily down her neck.

Her fever had gone down considerably and the dottore had packed away a few medicines in a pouch and given it to her. He had advised Ezio that she shouldn't be traveling and at that, Lucrezia had glared at him. Ezio had then argued that Firenze wasn't safe for women at the moment to which the dottore had agreed.

Now with one of her arms around his shoulder and his arm around her waist, he led her to the port in silence, hoping that she would say something at least. He hated that she seemed so angry at him.

"Lucrezia…" Ezio started and she pulled away from him and hobbled towards the stairs that led to the ship where her friends were already waiting.

He took her elbow and tugged gently. "Don't you want to say goodbye?"

Lucrezia took a deep breath and turned around. "Goodbye Ezio." She turned away again and Ezio squeezed her elbow.

"Lucrezia…"

"What?" she asked. Her tone was angry, but her eyes were doleful and she looked at him as if he had betrayed her in the worst possible way.

Ezio pulled the chain from his pocket and put it in her hands. "This belongs to you."

Lucrezia looked down at the pendant that was proof of her identity as a Templar. Her eyes glistened with tears, but she didn't shed them and Ezio couldn't help but feel another tug at his heart. He was hurting her, but she needed to be reminded who she was and who he was.

Lucrezia turned away and walked up the stairs with her head held high. Ezio climbed down and stood at the docks, watching the ship pull up anchor. Only when the ship began to move did Lucrezia turn around to look at him.

He saw a tear roll down her cheek as she grasped the edges. The chain was still entwined between her fingers and as their eyes continued to meet, Ezio saw her drop the chain into the sea. The ship pulled further away and all Ezio could do was stare at her as she went far away from him.


	8. Chapter 8

_Two years ago in Monteriggioni…._

"Gina!" Claudia wailed, clutching her friend's lifeless body. "Please, don't….please…" She collapsed into loud sobs, not caring that the rain was drenching her or that the wind was get too cold and too fierce.

"Help me!" Claudia screamed into the empty darkness. "Please, just help me!"

"Claudia?" A voice spoke.

Claudia looked up and in the mist of the rain, spotted a dark looming figure. Claudia gasped and pushed her away from him as her thoughts ran wild. Someone had killed Gina and now that someone was going to kill her! Clutching the wet mud in her hands, she screamed for help again.

The dark figure rushed to her and fell to his knees. "Claudia? What's wrong?"

It was Cesare. His long hair was matted on his head and water dripped from his pointed nose. His clothes were soaked and his touch was too cold on her shivering skin. Claudia winced and pushed him away.

"Gina…she's…she's…." She couldn't complete her sentence and fell into heavy sobs.

Cesare looked down at Gina and put two of his fingers on her nape. He frowned and then looked up at Claudia with pity in his dark eyes. "Claudia…I am so sorry."

Claudia put her hands on her mouth to stop her cries, but a moan still escaped and reverberated around them.

Cesare grabbed her arms and got up, trying to pull her with him. But Claudia couldn't find the strength to stand, much less move. All she could do was stare at her friend's pale skin and bloodstained dress.

"Claudia, we have to get out of this storm."

"I'm not leaving Gina." Claudia said, stubbornly and grabbed her friend's limp hand.

"We'll go get some help." Cesare said.

"No one is ready to help." Claudia cried. "I knocked on every door and no one even bothered to open it. No one helped me. Everyone is cruel and heartless in this world." She said the last numbly, the energy draining out of her as she looked at her friend's lifeless body.

"Claudia." Cesare said and put an arm around her shoulders to help her up, but Claudia wouldn't budge. Seeing her vibrant young friend lying dead was breaking her. She was young and pretty and had her whole life in front of her. And now she would never get to laugh, to fall in love or any of the things Gina had dreamed to do. And all because of…

Claudia was stunned by the thought that entered her mind. She got up suddenly and glared at Cesare. "It was your friends who did this to her!"

"What?" Cesare asked, pushing away his wet hair from his face.

"They were with her. Gina was scared and she didn't want to go with them. It was your friends who killed her!" Claudia accused.

Cesare looked bewildered. "Claudia, what reason could they possibly have to hurt her?"

"It was them! They were with her, were they not?" Claudia asked. She turned to the small houses and pointed. "They took her there, supposedly to your house, Cesare!"

Cesare looked nervous. "Claudia, let me explain. I…"

"No! She was asking a lot of questions about you. Then your friends come along and take her away and now she's dead. My best friend is dead! Gina is dead!" Claudia could feel her throat getting hoarse as she screamed, but she didn't care.

The rain was letting up and the winds, though cold, were slowing down as well. Claudia wiped her face of tears and rainwater and stepped away from him.

"Who are you?" she said, taking a deep breath. "Gina said that you couldn't be a blacksmith's apprentice because look at your clothes and boots. The way you walk…you're not just an ordinary man, are you?"

Cesare looked away and shook his head in anger. "Alright, Claudia. You can accuse me all you want. But tell me this, why would my friends want to kill Gina? Because she was asking too many questions? Did you and your friend have your own secrets to hide because of which you would have enemies?"

Claudia dropped her gaze and looked at the wet mud that clung to Cesare's boots. Gina was right; the boots were expensive as were his clothes.

"Why don't you answer me?" Cesare said. "Are you an ordinary girl who lives in Monteriggioni? Who has nothing to hide?"

Claudia swallowed and clenched her fists. She couldn't tell Cesare why she thought her family would have enemies. She couldn't tell him that she came from a family of assassins, or he would turn away from her forever. Worse, he would inform their enemies about her family's whereabouts.

"I have hidden nothing from you." Claudia said, beginning to wonder if perhaps one of the Templars were responsible for killing Gina.

Cesare looked away and she saw him fighting with himself about something. Then he came over to her and grabbed her shoulders.

"I have hidden nothing from you either." He told her. "I haven't told you the whole truth. I do come from an affluent family, but I had a disagreement with my father and left. I came to Firenze, found a job at the blacksmith's and worked there. He recently promoted me which is why I have some extra coins to spend."

"That day." Claudia looked into his eyes to see if he was lying, but she couldn't make out anything. "Your friends were arguing with you and one of them kept looking at me."

"They're not my friends, Claudia." Cesare replied and brushed away a wet tendril from near her mouth. "They work with me and they've been jealous of my promotion."

Claudia clasped his hand and squeezed. "Cesare, would they have any reason to hurt Gina? Are they that jealous of you that they would harm any girl you are seen with?"

Cesare put his hands on the sides of her face. "I don't know Claudia. But if they are behind this, I will never forgive them. Now let's find some shelter."

"I can't leave Gina." Claudia said.

"We'll get some help. I'll leave you home and then…"

"No!" Claudia said. "I don't want to go home. I can't tell Gina's family that their daughter is no more."

Cesare put an arm around her and led her to the houses. He knocked on a door and the old man answered. He readily told them to go away but Cesare removed a small pouch of coins and tossed it to him.

After that Claudia wasn't aware of what was happening around her. She was thinking about Gina and then about what Cesare said. She was vaguely aware of a shawl being draped over her and a warm cup being pushed towards her. Claudia picked it up with trembling fingers and put it to her lips.

It was hot tea and when she drank it, she felt some of her stress ebb away. Cesare was talking to the old man about something who then called his two young sons. The four men left the house while a woman came over to talk to Claudia.

Claudia politely nodded at whatever she was saying as her mind wandered back to Gina. She was dead. She was murdered. But why?

A few minutes later Cesare came back and only when he sat down next to her and put his hand on her arm that she looked up at him through her swollen eyes.

"They are keeping Gina's body covered in the shed. Tomorrow morning, we'll take her to her parents." He told her.

Claudia rested her head back on the wall and closed her eyes. "You don't live around here, do you?"

"Claudia I already explained…" Cesare hesitated. "I only told them to take Gina to the inn. I promise you I have no idea what happened after that."

Claudia opened her eyes and turned her head to him. "I trust you." She said. "If it really was them who killed Gina, then I want them punished."

"And they will be." Cesare said. "Tomorrow, I'll go and find out from them if they indeed had hurt Gina."

"Be careful." Claudia said, tiredly.

"I will be. I promise." Cesare said and kissed her lightly on her cheek.

*/*/*/*/*/*

A week later, Claudia was making her way back to the lake near Monteriggioni. Cesare hadn't met her for days and after Gina's funeral, Claudia had felt gloom settle within her.

She missed her friend greatly and what added to her misery was a letter she had received from her brother. Ezio was in Firenze trying to reclaim the apple and that was where he had seen his childhood love Cristina. Except she had died after being attacked in the riots and Claudia could only imagine what her brother must be going through.

She didn't have the heart to tell him that she had lost her best friend and add to his grief. He was already too worried about leaving her in Monteriggioni, so Claudia decided not to tell him about Cesare either.

When Ezio came back home, she would tell him, but writing that all in a letter felt too impersonal.

Claudia walked to the tree near the lake, vaguely aware that her skirt was being dragged through the wet mud. It had rained just this morning and there were puddles and wet mud everywhere. But nothing would deter her from meeting Cesare. She had missed him so much in all the days they were apart.

Claudia smiled to herself. She couldn't believe she was falling in love with him. Their age didn't matter, his past didn't matter, nothing mattered at all. All that mattered was that he was there for her when she was going through such a difficult time. He wasn't physically present for her during the funeral, but his letters had comforted her and given her hope that Gina's killer would be found.

A hand on her shoulder startled her and she jumped. Taking a deep breath, she eased her shoulders and turned around, sure that Cesare had finally come. When she saw a stranger behind her, she uttered a choked gasp.

The man was younger and shorter than her. He was dressed in a black attire with golden epaulettes on his shoulders. The grimace on his otherwise handsome features, made him look threatening and Claudia took a step back.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, recognizing him as Cesare's companion.

The young man's scowl deepened. "Who the hell do you think you are?" He said through gritted teeth and that was when Claudia noticed that his eyes were bloodshot and he reeked of liquor.

Claudia took a few more steps back and her back touched the tree trunk. Light drizzle began to fall and Claudia looked all around her, hoping to find someone or something that would help her from this man.

"It was because of you that Cesare screamed at me!" He said. "For you!" He spoke in disgust.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Claudia replied.

"You don't?" He said incredulously. "Cesare had me thrown out. And all for you...a stupid little bitch!" He came closer and Claudia let out a whimper, wishing there were people around her whom she could call for help.

He pinned her to the tree and drew his face closer. "You have no idea what you did, you bitch!"

"You killed my friend." Claudia said, looking straight into his eyes. She was an Auditore, she reminded herself. She wasn't allowed to be intimidated by anyone.

She put her chin up in defiance even though her heart was beating rapidly in her chest.

"I was following orders!" He bellowed. "I did nothing wrong!"

Claudia looked at him in surprise. She had thought that he would deny the accusation. Did he just admit that he killed Gina? Anger boiled inside her, increasing her courage.

She pushed him away. "You bastardo!" She yelled. "You killed Gina? Whose orders were you following?"

The young man smiled. "I was right when I called you stupid." He laughed suddenly. "You don't know the truth, do you? You Auditore are all so stupid!"

Claudia's panic increased. He knew who she was? Did he know about Ezio? Did he know about her Assassin heritage?

Then another thought occurred to her. Did Cesare know?

Claudia decided to walk away from the young man rather than ask him all the questions that were burning in her head. She had to think, she had to know what Cesare knew. If his friends did...

A rough hand grabbed her elbow and she gasped.

"You're not going anyway!" He growled and she saw a dagger gleaming in his hands. "I should have ended your life the day I laid eyes on you. Filth like you doesn't deserve to live!"

Claudia struggled in his grasp, but he was stronger than her and threw her on the grass.

"I'll be doing Cesare a favor. I will do what Cesare doesn't have the guts to do!"

He was about to bring down the dagger on her when someone pushed him away. Her attacker stumbled and fell on the ground. Claudia let out a cry and then sobbed when she saw Cesare standing before her.

"I told you to stay away from her, you bastard!" Cesare roared. "How dare you lay even a finger on her!"

"You're ridiculing me for her!" The young man said. He picked himself up and grasped the dagger tighter. "Have you forgotten who she is? Who you are?" Then his voice lowered. "How ashamed your father would be when he finds out who you're consorting with."

Cesare's anger grew and he removed his sword. "You should have stayed out of my business." He grabbed the young man and stabbed him in the stomach. The young man keeled over, blubbering as blood spewed from his mouth. He fell to the ground, writhing in agony. Cesare removed the sword and then plunged it again into his chest.

Claudia could only watch all this in horror. She knew Cesare was aggressive, but ruthless...

She dragged herself away on the ground as Cesare turned to her. He had removed the sword from the young man's chest and she saw the blood on the blade. She started to feel lightheaded as Cesare came forward.

Claudia put up her hand and screamed. "No!" She used her hands to pull away further from him. "No! Don't come closer!"

"Claudia, it's me." Cesare said.

Claudia felt tears roll down her face and she shook her head. "Who are you?"


	9. Chapter 9

_Monteriggioni, 1500_

The trip from Il Vaticano to Monteriggioni was long and tiring. He was glad to have his Uncle's company or Ezio knew he would have gone mad from travelling all alone down the empty dark roads.

The Apple in his pockets felt heavy, but the responsibility of carrying the artifact was heavier. He couldn't wait to get it to a safe place where none of his enemies would ever get his hands on it. He turned to his Uncle and found him looking exhausted and drowsy. His eyes were barely open and his eyes had dark circles under them.

"Perhaps we should find an inn to spend the night." Ezio suggested.

His uncle blinked his eyes rapidly and shook his head. "No, we're almost there."

Ezio rode his horse closer to his uncle's and took a hold of the reins. "Uncle, you're ready to fall face first to the ground. Come, let us rest."

His Uncle reluctantly agreed and they rode to the inn that was few miles away from Monteriggioni. They would reach in another hour or so, but his Uncle didn't look well enough to make it another minute.

When they reached the inn, Ezio jumped down from his horse and helped his Uncle get down.

"I'm not that old, Ezio." His Uncle said.

Ezio grinned as he looked at his uncle's grey hair and the lines on his face. "No you're not. In fact you're quite a competition for me where beautiful women are concerned."

"Idiota." He grinned. "Come, let me buy you wine."

Ezio let his uncle lead him in and they quickly found an empty table. When they sat down, a beautiful young woman sauntered towards them with a tray and took their order. Ezio eased into the wooden chair and looked at his surroundings while his uncle chatted with the young waitress.

The room was crowded by lascivious men and promiscuous women. When Claudia told him that she had visited this very inn on her birthday, he had been horrified. He couldn't imagine his little sister in a room with all these people. If any of them had even dared to lay a hand on her or look at her in a lewd manner…

"Ezio?" His uncle said. "Are you alright? You look pale."

"I am fine." Ezio said and took a gulp of the wine as soon as it was served.

"Are there any rooms available tonight?" His uncle inquired.

The young waitress nodded after some thought and then left them to get the keys from the innkeeper. Ezio kept twirling his goblet and then looked up to see his uncle studying him.

"What's wrong, nipote? Ever since you've come back from Firenze, you've been distracted." He said. "I was afraid you would be too distracted from your mission in Il Vaticano as well."

Ezio swallowed, trying hard to not think about Lucrezia. "Cristina died in my arms, uncle. I used to be in love with her."

"I am sorry to hear that." He said, ruefully.

Ezio took another swig from his goblet when he saw the young waitress head their way again.

"This is for you." She said, passing a folded note to him.

Ezio took it curiously and the waitress walked away. His uncle sighed. "And here I thought she was interested in me."

Ezio chuckled. "Perhaps it's a message asking me to go away so that she could spend some time alone with you."

"I don't need your pity." Uncle Mario said dryly. "Go on, open it."

Ezio opened the note and read.

_Come up to my room. _

_I've been waiting a whole_

_Year to see you. _

Ezio frowned. A whole year? He looked at the waitress who was busy chatting with another patron. No, it couldn't be her. Then who was the note from? He read further and found the number to the room scribbled at the bottom.

"Well?" His uncle asked.

Ezio removed the pouch which held the Apple and handed it over to him. "Take care of this." He said, getting up.

His uncle took it and quickly put it into one of the large pockets in his coat. "What's the matter, Ezio? Who is the note from?"

"Stay here." Ezio said. "I'll be back."

He headed to the staircase and readied himself. It could be an enemy, in fact it most probably was. He would do whatever it took to make sure the Apple was safe even if it killed him.

He found the door and knocked. Inside, he could hear footsteps and then a click as the door opened.

"Come in." a woman's voice said that seemed clearly disguised.

Ezio walked in cautiously, readying his dagger when he saw a woman standing with her back to him in the corner wearing a brown cloak that hid her body. "Close the door." She instructed.

Ezio closed the door and walked to the center of the room. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The woman turned around slowly and put down her hood. Ezio gasped when he saw who it was.

She hadn't changed much in a year. Her golden hair had grown to her shoulders and she looked curvier in her blue dress. Her blue-green eyes looked at him with expectations and happiness while her mouth craved to laugh.

"Lucrezia!" Ezio smiled. "It is you!" He came forward and was about to take her in his arms, when he remembered… remembered who she was and who he was.

Lucrezia seemed happy with his initial reaction. When he hesitated, her smile fell and he saw the disappointment flash in her eyes. "Si, it is me." She said.

"What are you doing here?" Ezio asked. "Are you alone? Lucrezia, we live around here. The Assassins come and go around here. You can't be here. If they find out…"

"Basta!" Lucrezia said, putting up her hand. "I can take care of myself and you, Ezio, know that very well."

She came to stand right before him. "I missed you." She said softly.

Ezio wanted nothing more than to put his hands around her waist and press her closer to him so that he could kiss her hard. Her red plump lips were aching to be kissed.

He composed himself and took a deep breath. "Lucrezia, we can't…be friends. If your father finds out…"

"Friends?" Lucrezia raised an eyebrow. She turned her head and Ezio wondered if he had hurt her enough to make her cry. But when she turned to him again, there was no evidence of tears.

"I heard you attacked my father in the vault at Il Vaticano. Grazie, for not killing him." Lucrezia said.

"I didn't spare him for you!" Ezio said quickly, although deep inside he wondered if he had. He had Rodrigo right at his feet and all he had to do was plunge a dagger into his neck. Instead, he realized that revenge would not bring his family back and killing him would only leave his children as orphans.

He would never admit to anyone, but one of the other reasons for not killing him had been Lucrezia. She had already suffered enough hardships and to top it all, she had lost a child. He couldn't imagine what it would be like for her to lose her father as well.

But that was a secret that would never be revealed to anyone.

"Killing him would not have brought back my family." Ezio told her. "I had to make sure he couldn't harm anymore people. Besides, all I wanted was to take the Apple away from him. Without it he's just a delusional old man with a ridiculous ambition."

Lucrezia lowered her eyes and he caught himself appreciating her long lashes. Being alone in the room with her was making him think things he didn't want to. He wanted to touch her skin again and he wanted to embrace her and tell her that no one would ever hurt her again.

She looked up at him and scoffed. "I suppose I should thank you for showing some maturity." She said haughtily. "And wisdom."

Lucrezia was a Borgia no doubt. She was in perfect control of her emotions, whereas he was being swayed by her beauty and courage.

"Why are you here Lucrezia?" He asked. "Did you come here all the way to thank me?"

"No." Lucrezia said, clasping her hands. "You are a clever man, Ezio. You know exactly why I am here."

Ezio swallowed. He was older than her, yet he was trembling like a nervous little boy. "I cannot read minds." He said stubbornly.

Lucrezia stepped closer and he could smell the faint scent of flowers emanating from her. His heart skipped a beat and he found himself gazing at her parted red lips.

"I thought you were brave, Ezio." She said huskily. "Am I wrong?"

"I don't understand what you mean." He said.

Lucrezia put a hand on his chest. "You don't?" She stood on her tiptoes and was about to kiss him, when Ezio grabbed her shoulders and pushed her at arm's length.

"Don't." He said. "We shouldn't do this."

Lucrezia looked insulted and she slapped his hands away. "Codardo!" she spat.

"You don't understand…"

"I do, Ezio!" Lucrezia said, turning away from and walking to the bed to sit down. "You think I didn't spend all these months considering how crazy I was being? You think I wanted to fall in love with you?"

_Love? She loved him?_

"I can't help feeling what I feel." Lucrezia said. "And I know you feel something for me too."

Ezio dropped his gaze. He wanted to deny it and tell her that he didn't feel anything for her, but he couldn't lie to her. He couldn't bear to see the tears and hurt in her eyes.

"See? You can't say it, can you?" Lucrezia said.

Ezio shook himself and looked at her. "You are confused Lucrezia. You don't love me. You're confusing the feelings of being grateful with love. You're not in love with me, you're grateful for my help."

Lucrezia stood up and stomped towards him. She raised her hand to slap him and Ezio caught it just in time. She glared at him as he held her wrist in his grasp. "Let go of me!"

The urge to kiss her again had returned with full force and it didn't help that he was touching her soft velvety skin.

"You have to leave." He said, hoping she didn't hear the reluctance in his tone.

Lucrezia freed herself from his grasp and scowled. "I've decided what I want to do, Ezio. I didn't come here all the way to be rejected by you. I came here to give you information."

"Information?" Ezio asked.

Lucrezia wouldn't meet his gaze and he could see the tears glistening in her eyes. "Si. My brother Cesare is planning something. An attack maybe. I don't know when and where. But I do know it is something against the Assassins."

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked.

Lucrezia fidgeted with the laces of her dress. "I heard him take your name. Ever since you attacked our father, he has been enraged. I couldn't learn more about his plans, but…"

"Don't!" Ezio said suddenly. "Lucrezia, you cannot spy on your family for the assassins!"

"I'm not doing it for the assassins; I'm doing it for you!" Lucrezia said angrily.

"I don't want you getting in the middle of all this." Ezio said quietly. "The further you stay from all this, the better it would be."

"For whom? You?" Lucrezia laughed. "The more you see me, the more you will have to admit to yourself that you love me too."

Ezio grabbed her by her arms and made her look at him. She did and when he saw how wide her eyes had become and how her lips had parted in surprise, he couldn't resist any longer. He lowered his head and kissed her with all the passion he felt.

He pressed her body closer to his, while his hands stroked her curves. Lucrezia responded with equal fervor and when they parted for breath, Ezio could feel his body protesting from the lack of touch.

"Say it." Lucrezia said, her voice barely a whisper.

Ezio squeezed his eyes shut and tried to restrain the words from coming out. But his heart wouldn't listen to his protests anymore.

"I love you." He said and when he opened his eyes, he saw Lucrezia smiling up at him. Ezio realized he would do anything to see her smile like this for the rest of his life.

"But.." he started to say when Lucrezia put her hand over his mouth.

"No buts. Just you and me." She said.

Ezio removed her hand from his mouth and lowered his head again to kiss her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: _For Davenportee. Hope you like it :)_**

* * *

><p><em>Monteriggioni, 1500<em>

Claudia sat in her bedroom, looking out the window at the moonless sky. Tomorrow was her birthday and instead of being filled with excitement and happiness, she was overwhelmed with gloom and depression. All she could think of was her last birthday when Gina had been there with her.

Claudia had long given up celebrating her birthdays, but when she had become friends with Gina, her friend had brought back the cheer in her birthday. Now she was gone and left a big hole in her heart.

Along with the memory of Gina, came fresh pain as she remembered another person she had lost last year. She had met Cesare a year ago and his companionship was something else she missed. She still remembered the day she had asked him pointedly who he really was.

Cesare had looked hurt and then angry. He had told her that if she didn't trust him now, she would never trust him. Claudia had wanted to ask him so many questions about why his friend had attacked her and why was he implying that she knew nothing about Cesare, but all those questions were buried the minute he told her they shouldn't be together.

Then when she could feel her heart breaking into pieces, he had suddenly grabbed her and punished her with a kiss so intense that she still shuddered from the memory. Then he had pushed her away and walked away.

A whole year had passed and she had not heard a single word from him. She waited for his letters and expected him to wait for her by the gates and explain everything. But he never came and each day the pain in her heart would increase.

A tap on the door, made her push away her thoughts and wipe away the single tear that had escaped her eyes.

"Madre?" She said, turning around. "Why aren't you asleep?"

Her mother walked in, dressed in a lavender nightgown and her hair loose. The grey streaks in her hair made her look graceful rather than old and the lines on her face somehow made her look more distinguished. Claudia absently wondered if she would look as elegant when she reached her mother's age.

"It's your birthday tomorrow." Her mother said and sat down beside her on the bench. "Every year, I would see you waiting expectantly for it."

Not this year, she wanted to tell her mother.

"But for months I've seen you looking despondent and distant. What's the matter Claudia? Are you not looking forward to your birthday?" Her mother asked and stroked Claudia's head lovingly.

"What's the point?" Claudia said. "Ezio was supposed to arrive and I just received a message that he had to stop on the way and spend the night in an inn. What if he doesn't make it tomorrow? He was supposed to spend this birthday with me."

"That's not why you're really upset, are you?" Her mother said.

Claudia averted her eyes and looked out the window at the city below her. Preparations were going on for a party she was going to hold for Ezio. It was supposed to be a welcome back home party along with a celebration of her birthday. Now all she could think was to run away so that she wouldn't have to spend another occasion in loneliness.

"I was thinking about Gina." Claudia said and entwined her fingers. "I miss her."

Her mother hugged her. "Oh Claudia! That was such an unfortunate incident. It's terrible that the killer was never found, but you must learn to move on from that terrible tragedy."

"I'm trying." Claudia said, trying hard to control her tears. She wanted to tell her mother about the real reason her heart was broken. She wanted to tell her about Cesare, but what could she possibly tell her? What did she know about Cesare?

How could she tell her mother that despite not knowing much about him, she had fallen deeply in love with him and it was killing her to never see him again?

"I'm sorry you had to go through so much grief, Claudia." Her mother said, kissing the top of her head. "Someday you'll get all the happiness you deserve. I pray tomorrow be that day for you."

Claudia took her mother's hand and smiled. "I hope so too."

Her mother kissed her cheek and then got up. "Now get some sleep. Tomorrow is a big day for you."

Claudia smiled at her mother's enthusiasm, but as soon as she left and closed the door behind her, she turned back to look at the window with a frown on her face. She closed her eyes and saw Cesare's face and the pain returned in full force. She opened her eyes and wiped away her tears.

"I have to stop doing this to myself." She said aloud. "I can't keep crying over him." Claudia stood and made her way to her bed. It would be better if she got some sleep. Tomorrow she would have to put on a mask of happiness to please everyone and pretend to be excited.

She started blowing out the candles when she heard a thud behind her. Her heart stilled as she heard the creak of her window. Then there were footsteps and the fear inside her intensified. Someone was in her room!

She opened the drawers quickly to look for something sharp and found a pair of scissors. She was about to pick it up when a hand closed over hers and she found herself being turned around. Another hand clamped over her mouth and her scream for help was muffled.

Dark eyes penetrated into hers and she felt her breath leave her when she saw who it was.

Cesare!

"Nice to see you again, Claudia." He said in a low growl.

Claudia raised her free hand to push him, but he dragged her and pushed her against the wall, trapping her. "Now, don't you scream." He said.

Claudia tried to wriggle her hands away from him, but he was too strong.

"Don't!" he said. "I'm going to remove my hand from your mouth. Don't scream!"

Claudia glared at him, but when he removed his hand, she didn't scream. "What are you doing here?" she asked, feeling her heart beat faster.

"I missed you, so I came to see you." Cesare replied, still not moving away. He took both her wrists and pinned them on her side. "It's been too long."

"Let go of me!" Claudia said through gritted teeth. She kept her voice low so that her mother wouldn't hear her in the adjoining room. Her heart told her that wasn't why she was talking in low tones; she didn't want anyone to come into her room and take Cesare away.

Cesare smirked. "Is that what you really want?" He was mocking her, Claudia realized. He didn't love her and he was just toying with her emotions. He didn't really come here because he missed her. He was here to play with her heart.

"Si!" Claudia said boldly. "Now let me go and leave my room this very instant or I shall call for the mercenaries!"

Cesare gave a low laugh and pushed himself against her. She could smell his scent- leather, smoke and musk. Her senses were being overloaded by being too near him and all she found herself imagining was putting her arms around his neck and kissing him.

Cesare seemed to read her thoughts, because the next thing he did was exactly that.

When his lips made contact with hers, they were rough and unforgiving. His hands left her wrists and grabbed her face, crushing her against him. Claudia couldn't breathe and couldn't move. His teeth bit down on her bottom lip and she let out a cry.

When he finally released her, she could taste blood. Claudia put one finger on the cut and felt a scream lodge in her throat.

"You bastard!" she managed to say.

Cesare used his thumb to wipe at her lip. "It's just a little blood."

Claudia raised her hand and slapped him hard. "Get out!"

Cesare wiped his thumb on his red coat. "Not yet." He said, casually and looked around her room. "Your room isn't very well decorated. Do you actually read those many books?"

Claudia clenched her hands. "What are you doing here Cesare? You were the one who walked away and said we couldn't be together."

Cesare looked thoughtful and nodded, the smirk never leaving his face. "I did say that."

"Then why are you here? What do you want from me?" Claudia asked, reminding herself to talk softly so that her mother wouldn't hear. Or any of the servants for that matter.

Cesare raised an eyebrow and his eyes held a predatory gleam. This wasn't the Cesare she had met a year ago. There was nothing kind in his features. He looked ruthless in his red coat and black breeches. There was a sword hanging from his belt and he bore the grace of a noble.

He wasn't a blacksmith, she thought to her horror. Cesare didn't look like he had ever labored at a workshop.

"You know what I want from you Claudia?" he asked, touching her hair. "I want you."

"What do you mean?"

He touched her cheek lightly with the back of his fingers and she shivered. "But the timing is all wrong. In the interim, there is some advice I wish to give you."

Claudia narrowed her gaze. Why was he talking in riddles?

"I want you to leave Monteriggioni tonight. Pack your belongings, your books…whatever matters to you. Take your mother with you and leave immediately."

Claudia put her arms around her. Cesare looked so cold and menacing; she wondered how she had ever fallen in love with him. Regardless of his words, all she could think of was how happy she was to see him. What was wrong with her?

"Did you hear me?" Cesare asked in a condescending tone.

"I'm not leaving." She said. "There is no reason for me to. Why are you telling me to leave?"

"That I cannot say." Cesare said. "It would be better if you do as I say."

"I'm not your servant!" Claudia cried and then tried to swallow her burning rage. "Just tell me exactly why I should leave. What's going on, Cesare? Who are you?"

"Who am I?" Cesare asked. "That troublesome question again."

"Why don't you just answer it?" Claudia said. "Surely you're not embarrassed of your identity are you?"

Cesare reacted with an enraged look that made her feel queasy. Her stomach clenched with fear when he moved toward her. Then he stopped himself and she could see he was trying to control his anger. She had touched a nerve…

"You'll know soon enough who I am." Cesare said, ominously. Then his face softened and she saw a glimmer of the person she had first met, who had been charming and thoughtful. "Just trust me this once, Claudia. Leave Monteriggioni tonight."

"Tell me why?" Claudia said. "I'll do exactly what you say if you tell me why."

Cesare grabbed her shoulders and shook her in frustration. "I can't!"

"Why?" Claudia asked, tears springing to her eyes. "Please…tell me."

Cesare put his hands on the side of her face. "You won't like the answer. I just want you to know that I have to do something because it's being asked out of me. I'm expected to react this way. I want you to know that I would never intentionally hurt you."

"You're scaring me." Claudia said, putting her hands over his.

"I wish things weren't the way they are." Cesare said. "It has to be done. I want you to know that I regret it."

"I don't understand." Claudia cried in frustration. "Tell me what you're talking about. What are you going to do?"

Cesare took her in his arms and hugged her and she could feel him trembling. But when he moved away, he had composed himself and she wondered if she had imagined it all.

Cesare opened his mouth and she saw the fear in his eyes. Then without another word, he walked over to the window and put his leg over the ledge.

"You're leaving?" she asked. "Cesare, tell me what's going on?"

Cesare jumped down and landed on a hedge. He looked up, the fear still in his eyes. It seemed as if he was trying to tell her something, but didn't dare to.

Claudia looked down at him, wanting to scream at him and then cry her heart out. She wanted to jump down herself and make him stay and say what he had come to say but couldn't.

But before she could move, he was climbing the ramparts and grabbing a rope. Then he was gone and Claudia was looking at the space where he had been and feeling her heart ache terribly. She slumped to the floor and after a few minutes of numbness, collapsed into sobs.


	11. Chapter 11

_Monteriggioni, 1500_

The first thing Ezio saw when he woke up was Lucrezia's face. She was still sleeping, her back to the window and her hair loose and glittering like gold as the sun touched it. Her mouth was partially open and her eyes moved just a little, as if she was dreaming.

Ezio supported himself on his elbows and sat up, still watching her. He loved her. He didn't know how that had happened, but it had. He also never expected to confess his feelings, but he had done that too.

Ezio brushed a hand softly over her cheek and wished he could spend more moments like last night. All night, they had done nothing but talk and he learned that Lucrezia was informative on a variety of subjects and she loved art and literature. He in turn told her about his interests in art as well along with racing on rooftops. He told her how much the activity exhilarated at him and she had smiled at him so sweetly.

They both were carefully avoiding talking about their families and Ezio was relieved. For once, he didn't feel like an assassin, but a normal man who could fall in love freely. Lucrezia opened her eyes then, looking sleepy. He thought she had never looked more beautiful.

"Buongiorno." She said softly.

Ezio gave her a smile and kissed her cheek. "Buongiorno." He whispered.

Lucrezia pushed her hair back and sat up. "Is it morning already?"

"We went to sleep right before dawn." Ezio said, caressing her cheek.

Lucrezia blushed under his gaze and adjusted her dress consciously. "I don't want to leave. Not yet, anyway."

"Then don't." Ezio said, bringing her closer and kissing her. It was taking all his willpower to not lie her down on her back and kiss every inch of her body. He wanted her, but he also wanted to take things slowly.

Lucrezia put a hand on his cheek and when he moved away, she brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. "No one knows I'm here and I'm being expected for dinner tonight."

"Make excuses." Ezio said, kissing her hand and then wrist. His lips travelled to her arm and then shoulder before he captured her lips again in a passionate kiss.

Lucrezia pushed him slightly and laughed. "Alright. I'll stay."

Ezio was about to lower his lips to hers again when he heard a booming sound in the distance.

"What was that?" Lucrezia asked, looking toward the window. "Did you hear that?"

Ezio tensed. "I did. Perhaps it's the mercenaries in Monteriggioni. Uncle did say we bought new canons and the mercenaries are probably testing them."

"It was so loud." Lucrezia's eyes were filled with worry.

"Monteriggioni is a few miles from here." Ezio said. But when the booming sound returned, he got up from the bed and went to the window. He could make out the silhouette of Monteriggioni through the fog and he frowned. Now he wished he had traveled all night to get there. Something inside him warned him of a catastrophe.

A knock on the door made him turn around sharply. Lucrezia stared at him wide-eyed and clutched the sheets to her chest. Ezio raised a hand, motioning her to remain quiet and went over to the door.

"Who is it?" He asked.

"Ezio! It's me." He recognized it as his Uncle's voice and waved his hand at Lucrezia who got up from the bed to hide behind a cupboard. Ezio opened the door to find his Uncle all dressed up and looking tense. "Something has happened."

"What?" Ezio asked, feeling his heart drop. His mother and sister were in Monteriggioni!

"I've received news that Monteriggioni has been attacked." Uncle Mario said. "We must leave at once. Come on."

Ezio moved to go when he remembered Lucrezia still in the room. It was his responsibility to make sure she would reach her home safely.

"Go ahead, zio. I'll get my weapons and follow you." Ezio said.

"Bene." His Uncle left and Ezio closed the door. He turned to see Lucrezia clutching a hand over her mouth and tears in her eyes.

"It's Cesare!" she said. "That was the attack he was planning."

Without a word, he gathered up his weapons and started to put on his robe.

"I should have tried to guess." Lucrezia said, crying now. "He was so angry when he spoke to father and I thought…I didn't think he was going to react this way."

Ezio tried to concentrate on making sure he was taking all his weapons and deciding which path he would take to enter the city. He couldn't make himself think about his mother and sister who were defenseless. The mercenaries did live in Monteriggioni, but if Cesare did bring an army, would his remaining family be protected?

Lucrezia came up to him and grabbed his arm. "Please don't be mad at me, Ezio!" she pleaded.

Ezio looked at her confusion and then snapped his mind back to what she had been saying. Lucrezia was blaming herself for something her brother was doing. It wasn't her fault that she had such a treacherous family.

He walked over to the bed and put on his boots. "How big is the army?" He asked her, planning which strategy to employ. There was only one gate through which the enemies could enter, but there was a narrow opening near one of the forts which he could climb from undetected.

Lucrezia made her way to him and fell to her knees and grabbed his hand. "I had nothing to do with this." Lucrezia said. "If I had any inclination that my brother would respond with violence I would have told you everything. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you. I swear."

Ezio got to his feet and grabbed Lucrezia with him. "Calm down, Lucrezia." He said softly. "I know you had nothing to do with it and I don't blame you for anything."

Lucrezia stared at him wordlessly with tears in her eyes. "Promise me you wouldn't hate me if…"

Ezio took her in his arms and then kissed her cheek. "We have to leave. I have to make sure you get home safely." He said, taking her hand and walking to the door.

Lucrezia pulled away her hand. "No, Ezio. You have to go to Monteriggioni right now! I know Cesare and his battle strategies are ruthless. You must save your people and your family."

"I can't just leave you all alone here." Ezio said.

"I can take care of myself." She said adamantly. "And you know that."

Ezio looked at the door and then back to her. He had a choice to make- a very difficult choice to make.

"Go, Ezio." Lucrezia insisted. "I'll find my way back home and let you know I'm safe."

"But…."

"Now, Ezio!" Lucrezia almost screamed. "Go help your Uncle."

Ezio pulled the hood over his head and walked out the door. When he closed it behind him, he prayed that none of his loved ones be hurt today.

*/*/*/*/*/*

After a sleepless night, Claudia was sitting in her little office and staring at the open ledger with a quill in her hand. The numbers danced in front of her and her head ached from weeping the whole night.

Today was her birthday and she felt all alone. Gina was dead, Ezio had still not arrived and Cesare…he had broken her heart. She went over what he had told her last night and couldn't make sense of anything.

Why had he wanted to leave Monteriggioni? Was it because whoever had killed Gina was coming after her now?

Claudia gripped the quill tighter and bit her lip. What if Gina's killer was one of the Templars? What if it wasn't Cesare's friend but one of Ezio's enemies?

She was pondering over these waves of troubled thoughts when the air erupted in a loud thundering noise. Claudia jumped in her chair and she heard her mother come rushing down the stairs?

"What was that?" she asked, her face pale.

Claudia swallowed, her hands gripping the armrests. "I think it's the mercenaries. They may be practicing with the cannons."

"Oh." Her mother looked only partially relieved and her hand was still clutching her chest. A few minutes passed and when they heard nothing else, her mother came over and put a hand on her cheek.

"Buon Compleanno." She said, kissing the top of her head.

"Grazie, madre." Claudia smiled, hoping her mother wouldn't notice her red swollen eyes or the sadness that dwelled in them. She tried to smile and failed miserably as tears sprang to her eyes. She wanted nothing more than to hug her mother and tell her everything about Cesare.

"What's the matter, cara?" Her mother must have sensed her happiness, because she was looking down at her with concern.

Claudia opened her mouth to say that nothing was the matter when they heard a loud crashing sound. This time the noise was accompanied by screams. She rushed to the window and saw the citizens below rushing in hordes towards the Villa.

Behind them, Claudia noticed smoke and fire through a large hole in the city walls. Her heart dropped as she realized what was happening. They were under attack!

"Claudia what is going on?" Her mother paled.

Claudia took her mother's hand and led her out from the office. Her heart was beating fast and fear was threatening to squeeze her lungs until she couldn't breathe. One look at her mother's worried face and Claudia realized she would have to remain calm no matter what, if they were to survive.

"There's a secret entrance." Claudia said. "I'll lead the citizens there as well."

"Secret entrance?" Her mother said in a panicky voice.

"Madre, don't worry." She said. "I saw Ezio playing around in the sanctuary behind Altair's statue. There is a passage we can use to escape."

"We're under attack!" Her mother looked shocked and then to Claudia's relief, she composed herself just as quickly. "I'll help."

Claudia nodded and ran out, directing the people to follow her. "Come with me to safety!" she yelled. Behind the crowds, she saw the mercenaries picking up their axes and heading towards the front gate from where she could hear the roar of canons and guns. Up the forts, some of the mercenaries were using the canons to defend the city.

Claudia rushed down the stairs and went to the blacksmiths to grab a dagger. Then she ran up as she saw some of the guards in red and black scale the walls and jump in.

"Follow my mother." She instructed the people and then was about to rush to the guard who had raised his sword on a woman, when she found herself pushed back. A mercenary advanced toward the guard with his axe. The guard's attention was immediately diverted and Claudia ran to the woman and picked her up.

"Let's go!" she told her.

The woman sobbed, but followed her. "Curse the Borgia!" she sniveled.

Claudia ran with her to where her mother was waiting.

"I've told them where to go." Her mother told her. "Come on, Claudia. We must leave too."

Claudia turned back and saw a few families still below, near the houses. "I'll be back."

"Claudia!" Her mother screamed. But she couldn't listen to anything else except for her own voice that urged her to save the people of her city.

When she reached downstairs, she found a group of mercenaries already helping the families up.

"Grazie!" she told them over the noise of cannonballs and battle cries.

"You shouldn't be here." One of the mercenaries said. "Ser Ezio wouldn't like it if we don't take care of you. We will make sure to distract the enemies while you all escape."

"I want to help." Claudia insisted.

The mercenaries started to push her back and Claudia let out a frustrated cry. Then one of them took her by the elbow and dragged her upstairs. "Go, now!" He told her and then raising his axe, rushed down to help the others.

The families that were dragged upstairs with her started rushing to the sanctuary and Claudia found herself being pushed over.

"The Borgia have gone crazy!" one of the men yelled. "The father couldn't accomplish anything so now he sent his son, Cesare."

Claudia stilled suddenly, the breath being knocked out of her. She grabbed the man's shirt as he ran to join others and stopped him. "What did you say?"

The man had dark marks on his face caused by the smoke and fire. He stared at her with his beady eyes and tried to push her away so that he could join his family.

"I said the Borgia are behind this! Now let me go!" He screamed.

"No!" Claudia said, holding onto his shirt even though in the struggle, it was being ripped. "What name did you take?"

"Cesare! Si pazza! Let me go!" The man screamed and then pushed her. Claudia lost her balance but her back hit the wall and she managed to stay upright. She couldn't breathe and the city was spinning all around her. She clutched her head and distantly heard her mother calling for her.

She turned sideways and saw her mother screaming over the crowd of people who were pushing each other to get to safety. Claudia swallowed and started to move to her when she realized she had to make sure her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. It couldn't be him!

She ran the other direction and rushed downstairs. Through the groups of mercenaries and guards engaged in battle, she spotted her uncle. She was about to call for him, when she saw that his hands were tied up and a brute was pushing him forward.

Her uncle was taken to a group of people standing at the gate and then pushed down to his knees. Claudia let out a small cry and rushed to him as fast as she could, dodging the guards who tried to grab her. She ran over the broken pieces of woods and glass, then winced when something scraped along her ankle.

She ignored her pain and the warmth of her blood seeping down her foot and rushed to her Uncle.

"This is the end for you, old man." She heard a voice. His voice.

Claudia was ten feet away when she saw Cesare standing with his men beside him. Cesare removed a gun from his pocket and aimed it at her uncle's forehead.

"No!" Claudia screamed, her heart sinking to her stomach. Her cries caught Cesare's attention and he looked up at her with an expressionless face. His eyes narrowed and then without another word, he pulled the trigger.

When the gunshot was fired, Claudia fell to her knees and felt herself being swarmed by fear.

"No!" she let out another bloodcurdling scream and then fell into loud sobs. She looked ahead and saw her uncle lying on the ground, a pool of blood forming beneath his body. Then she looked up at Cesare who was putting back his gun in his pocket and admiring his treacherous work.

He motioned for the guards to pick up the body and Claudia scrambled on the ground, trying to get up, but her limbs were paralyzed with fear and grief. "Let him go!" she cried. "Don't touch him!"

Cesare gave her just a glance as he walked out triumphantly. Just one look that showed how little he cared about her. That one look also made her realize things she should have known. He knew who she was.

He had known all along that she was an Assassin.


	12. Chapter 12

_Monteriggioni, 1500_

Claudia could feel her heart stop and her breathing slow. The turmoil around her was of little importance of her. All her mind was ready to comprehend was that her uncle was dead. There was blood- a lot of blood- from where he was laying on the ground.

When he was being picked up by the guards on Cesare's orders, Claudia kept screaming to stop, but her words felt strange coming from her mouth when everything else was numb. Her uncle had been like a father to her all these years. He had never scolded her and only been stern with her when she would idle.

Her uncle had always wanted her to be self-reliant and be a stronger woman. He understood what it was like to see her brother walk out their home into a world where he would be in constant battle with the Templars and not once did he chide her for shedding a tear and wondering whether her brother would come home alive or not.

Over the years, her uncle had also become her confidant- someone she could talk about all her worries with- and now he was no more. Cesare had killed him! The man she had stupidly trusted had been the one to pull the trigger.

Her stomach clenched and she wanted to throw up as her whole body shivered with grief. Clutching at the sand beneath her, she dry heaved and then suddenly, strong arms were grabbing her and picking her up.

It was the same mercenary who had pushed her before and now he looked annoyed. "You must leave at once, Signorina. The whole city is falling apart and will be in ruins soon. It seems they will continue with the attack until all the walls have fallen.

The sounds of bombs and the clanging of metal swords did nothing to make her move. She stood there, struck by how much blood was on the ground. She doubled over and vomited, sobbing at the same time. Panic clenched at her chest and she tried hard to muffle her screams.

The mercenary put an arm around his waist and dragged her away. Claudia kicked and shrieked when the truth struck her over and over again- she would never see her uncle again. Before she knew it, she was being hugged by her mother who was startled when the mercenary told her the news, but quickly composed herself and took Claudia to the sanctuary.

"I can't." Claudia kept saying. "I can't leave."

"You must." The mercenary told her. "We can do only so much to hold the enemy back before they tear down the walls and come after you."

"I'll take her." Her mother said. "Grazie for your help."

The mercenary nodded and then rushed away to help the other mercenaries fend off the Templars attacks.

"He's dead! He's dead!" Claudia screeched.

Her mother shook her by the shoulders. "Claudia, pull yourself together." She said with tears in her eyes.

"I can't! He's dead!"

Her mother wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her to Altair's statue. They were all alone in the dark passageway but she could hear the frantic voices of the people on the other side and Claudia felt her own panic mounting.

"We don't have a home anymore! He's dead! Uncle Mario is dead!" Claudia found she was unable to stop sobbing and the words she kept saying sounded like a chant to her ears.

"It's the Borgia!" Her mother spat disgustedly. "They were bound to retaliate after Rodrigo's encounter with Ezio."

Claudia blinked when they came through to the other side. The sun was shining brightly against the blue sky and the morning would have been beautiful had the attack not happened. She turned to the side and saw a cloud of smoke forming over the forts.

The sound of metal striking metal resonated around them and Claudia clutched her mother's arm. "We have nowhere to go!"

Her mother was about to say something when she looked behind her as the sound of horse hooves came closer. When Ezio came into view, Claudia felt some of her hope light up. Ezio jumped down from his horse when he saw them and rushed over.

"Grazie a dio, you're safe." Ezio said and hugged his mother. He then put out his arm to hug Claudia, but she pushed his arm away, anger suddenly rising in her chest.

"Where were you?" she cried, unable to stop her tears or control her temper. "You were supposed to be here! Uncle Mario is dead!"

"What?" Ezio asked, looking shocked. Claudia regretted screaming at him when she saw the pained look on her brother's face, but that didn't lessen the pain of seeing her uncle shot right before her eyes.

"Si, Ezio. He was killed in front of me. Where were you?" She screamed and then pushed at his chest.

Ezio stumbled but he managed to grab her wrists. "Claudia!" he said and pulled her into his arms. "Forgive me."

Claudia broke into loud sobs and hugged Ezio right back. "I'm never going to see him again."

Ezio stroked her back, trying to comfort her, but Claudia found she was unable to stop her tears from flowing. She longed to tell him all about Cesare and how she had been falling in love with the enemy, but her family would never forgive her for being so foolish to trust a Templar.

"I should have never spared Rodrigo's life!" Ezio said through gritted teeth.

"You let him live?" Claudia felt the anger turn into venomous words.

"I decided revenge wasn't the meaning of my life." Ezio said. "His death would have accomplished nothing. Our family is never going to come back."

Claudia grabbed the front of his robes. "And now the rest of our family is also going to be killed by his hands."

Ezio pushed her away, angry at the accusation. "I would never let any harm come to you or our mother."

"Basta, both of you!" Their mother intervened. "Now is not the time to argue with each other. We must devise our next plan."

Ezio beckoned a mercenary emerging from the passage who immediately rushed over. "Is the Apple secure?"

The mercenary shook his head regretfully. "Your uncle had it in his possession." He said. "Cesare Borgia saw it and took it and your uncle's body with him. And…" he hesitated.

"Speak up." Ezio commanded.

"Your guest Signora Caterina, she was taken away too." He replied.

"Caterina was here?" Ezio asked.

Claudia shook her head. "She was supposed to come, but she was delayed too."

"That means she was taken when she was on the road." Ezio said. "Bastardo! How could he have planned this attack so quickly?"

The mercenary pushed at his headband and wiped the soot from his face. Claudia recognized him as the one who had helped her escape and she was about to thank him when he spoke, chilling her skin.

"He must be planning for days. I think I remember seeing him in the outskirts of the city, but since I didn't recognize him, I thought nothing of it." He said and then turned to Claudia, his eyes displaying anger and silent accusations.

Claudia turned away from them so that they wouldn't see her pale face. He had seen her with Cesare! He was going to tell Ezio and he would hate her forever.

"All that doesn't matter anymore." Ezio said. "He must have left for Roma. I'll go there at once!"

Ezio got up on his horse and looked at Claudia. "I want you and mother to leave for Firenze immediately."

"No!" Claudia said, resolutely. "I'm coming with you."

"This isn't the time to argue, Claudia." Ezio said. "Just do as I say."

Claudia took the reins of his horse to stop him. "No, Ezio. Not this time. This time, where you go, we go."

"She's right." Their mother said. "We only have each other now."

Ezio nodded reluctantly and whistled for a horse. He held out his hand to their mother and helped her up his horse. Claudia waited until a white horse came galloping towards her. The mercenary, who had been watching their exchange in silence, came over and helped her up.

Claudia looked down at him and saw his piercing green eyes through the dirt and smudge all over his face. She silently begged him not to divulge her secret, but the mercenary turned away and she wondered how many people she had betrayed by her relationship with Cesare.


End file.
